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Cambridge City Council

Environmental Improvement Programme

Our Environmental Improvement Programme funds and delivers small-scale projects that make a lasting and noticeable improvement to the city.

EIP projects have improved war memorials and recreation grounds, as well as landscaped areas and roadside verges. We have also added and improved fencing, gates, benches, street trees, litter bins, wayfinding lighting and notice boards.

Once we open another funding round anyone can once again put forward ideas, previously this was chiefly through their local area ward councillors, however from 2022 we now use a combination of our engagement platform residents of Cambridge to come forward with project ideas and vote for ideas for EIP.

Funding types available

Local Area based EIP funding

Local Area based EIP funding provides our four area committees (South Area, East Area, West/Central Area and North Area), a capital budget in proportion to the size of its population.

Committees will consider which projects in their area they recommend for funding, up to a project value of £5,000 (or £10,000 if strongly supported).

Additionally, committees may be strongly influenced by the numbers of residents that support projects in their areas on the engagement platform.

Strategic based EIP funding

This element of the programme is dedicated to priorities the Council has identified as being important across all areas of Cambridge, and include making better use of roadside verges, enhancing tree canopy, improving biodiversity, benches (that promote community/social interaction) and providing free public drinking water points.

Project consideration process

Following the funding round closure, projects and ideas will be considered and collated then a report will be produced by officers and presented to the area committees. The committees will then consider and recommend which projects in their area they believe should be funded.

All the area projects and the strategic projects will be presented to the Executive Councillor for Environment, Climate Change and Biodiversity and considered for approval.

The selected ideas for the 2022 bidding round are set out below.

We have run an Environmental Improvement Programme annually since 2004; and review it regularly to ensure it is providing value to Cambridge and our communities. A further review was undertaken in 2022.

The council also operates other funding programmes for different types of projects. If your project isn't eligible for Environmental Improvement Programme funding, you could investigate S106 funding or other grants and funding.

Approved area projects 2023

North area

Area Project title
N1 - 2023 Logan’s Meadow noticeboard improvement.
N2 - 2023 Jubilee Gardens establishing the space as a Green Asset - through the installation of additional benches.
N3 - 2023 Hazelwood Close - Seating installation.
N4 - 2023 Biodiversity and social interaction improvements to Green End Road Park.
N5 - 2023 Community noticeboard Mayfield area.
N13 - 2023 Restore benches at the 'Cyclops' junction on Histon Road.
N17- 2023 Community planting on Campkin Road.
N18 - 2023 Community planting in Minerva Way/King's Hedges recreation ground.
N19 - 2023 Making the most of small spaces in King’s Hedges.
N20 - 2023 Create a community haven on Green End Road, East Chesterton.
N21 - 2023 Benches - Scotland Road recreation ground.
N22 - 2023 Moving Forward – Arbury Court Community Garden Project.

West/Central area

Area Project title
WC1 - 2023 Tree protection at the end of Skaters Meadow Roadway.
WC2 - 2023 Biodiversity improvements - Woodlark Road, Hoadley Road, Sherlock Road and Eachard Road.
WC6 - 2023 Display boards for the Ascension Burial Ground.
WC9 - 2023 Community Noticeboards in Newnham, Castle and Market to promote community Cohesion.
WC14 – 2023 Planting to screen Lammas Land from traffic and reduce air pollution in the park.
WC15 – 2023 Improve a bench in Newnham.
WC17 – 2023 Improvements to shared use paths on Midsummer Common.
WC13 – 2023 Bins around Gough Way.
WC16 – 2023 Christs’ Pieces - Provision of places for unsightly bins improving environment.

South area

Area Project title
S1 - 2023 Installation of drinking fountains - Hobsons Square, Trumpington.
S2 - 2023 Safe access and entry to a LEAP.
S3 – 2023 Reduce yearly Christmas tree cutting and disposal by installing lights in tree.
S4 – 2023 Information board for Cherry Hinton recreation ground.

East area

Area Project title
E2 - 2023 Gwydir Street seating.
E3 - 2023 Green the Streets.
E4 - 2023 Improving biodiversity - East Road housing area.
E12 - 2023 Biodiversity and social interaction improvements - Maple Tree area, St Matthews Street.
E14 - 2023 Increase biodiversity in Headly Street and Eagle Street with planting.
E15- 2023 Making Rustat Road/Corrie Road cut through and green space safer.
E16 - 2023 A memorial to a forgotten abolitionist.
E18 - 2023 Two bench seats for Petersfield Green.
E19- 2023 Create a community haven on Green End Road, East Chesterton.
E21 - 2023 Community bench and biodiversity in Jack Warren Green.
E22 - 2023 Wildflowers on the corner of Rawlyn Road/Stanesfield Road.
E26 - 2023 Wildflower and/or bulbs along the outside of the Coleridge recreation ground fence planting.
E27 - 2023 A community garden on Peverel Road.

Approved strategic projects 2023

Area Project title
sN7- 2023 Improving biodiversity on Carisbrooke Road's central green space
sN12 - 2023 Bee Balconies! Pollinator-friendly planting for flats
City 1 Citywide community engagement led biodiversity and habitat improvement projects
sE1 - 2023 St Matthew’s Piece - Improving biodiversity
sE8 - 2023 Increasing biodiversity in our street (Sedgwick Street)
sE13- 2023 Increase biodiversity and public wellbeing on Barnwell Road
sE23 - 2023 Improve tree cover in Hobart Road
sE24 - 2023 Create community gardens, increase biodiversity and beautify - Tiverton Estate
sWC7 Planting on existing pavement islands, Norwich Street

Suggest a project or idea

We are currently not open for new Environmental Improvement Programme projects although we hope to run a further round in the summer of 2023.

To qualify, your suggested project must meet the eligibility criteria, [PDF, 0.1MB] be submitted by the deadline (to be confirmed) and aim to be delivered by the end of 2024 at the latest.

There are two options to get your idea(s) considered:

  1. Preferred Option: to sign-up to engagement platform and put forward ideas and suggestions. The added advantage is that the platform also gives you the ability to support other proposed EIP projects (which may make them more likely to be approved). This option also might reduce duplication of projects.
  2. By completing the application template form and then submit this by email to projectdevelopment@cambridge.gov.uk. Please note that it's intended that as soon as these are received, they will be posted on Citizenlab.

We’ll assess each suggestion against the eligibility criteria, ensure they are viable and then ask the relevant committees to consider the ideas in the winter of 2023 via a recommendations report.

The following discussions then go to the Executive Councillor, for Environment, Climate Change and Biodiversity, for decision on funding allocation for the proposed projects. 

Available funds

We expect to make the following amounts available to each area committee and for Strategic EIP funding for the Environmental Improvement Programme projects in 2023/24, and again in 2024/25.

  • East area – Abbey, Coleridge, Petersfield and Romsey wards: £28,100
  • North area – Arbury, East Chesterton, King’s Hedges and West Chesterton wards: £29,600
  • South area – Cherry Hinton, Queen Edith’s and Trumpington wards: £20,900
  • West/Central area – Castle, Market and Newnham wards: £21,400
  • Strategic funds – £70,000

Live projects prior to 2023 approvals

East Area (Abbey, Coleridge, Petersfield and Romsey Wards)

Scheme Description Ward
Birdwood Road - bus shelter Installing a new bus shelter Coleridge
Petersfield ward streets - window boxes Offering window boxes to residents who live north of Mill Road lacking front garden, to help soften hard landscaped street-scenes Petersfield
North Petersfield -noticeboards Installing new community noticeboards near the new community centre, and on the corner of Ainsworth Street and Sleaford Street corner Petersfield

North Area (Arbury, East Chesterton, Kings Hedges and West Chesterton Wards)

Scheme Description Ward
Hurst Park Avenue verge planting Planting the highway verge margin on the north-eastern side of Hurst Park Avenue West Chesterton
Campkin Road shops Further soft landscaping of the circular tree bed on Campkin Road shop forecourt. Kings Hedges
Humberstone Road landscaping Reconfiguring the landscaped area at the end of Humberstone Road joining Elizabeth Way, to improve appearance and access West Chesterton
Mitcham's Corner cycle parking Installing additional cycle parking stands around Mitcham's Corner. West Chesterton
Hurst Park estate - community notice board Provision of a new community notice board for the Hurst Park estate, likely to be at the main entrance to Hurst Park Avenue from Milton Road West Chesterton
Gilbert Road - reinstatement of grass verges Reinstatement of grass verge areas at the Milton Road end of Gilbert Road West Chesterton
West Chesterton - cycle parking hoops Addition of 'hoops' at various locations to allow cycle parking against bollards, signposts, lighting columns and so on West Chesterton

South Area (Cherry Hinton, Queen Edith’s and Trumpington Wards

Scheme Description Ward
Cavendish Avenue Landscaped road narrowing at the Hills Road end of Cavendish Avenue Queen Edith's
Monkswell cycle parking Installation of communal cycle parking on the Monkswell estate, to improve community cohesion Trumpington
Trumpington fringes bus stops Installation of bus stops and shelters on new estates Trumpington

West and Central Areas (Castle, Market and Newnham Wards

Scheme Description Ward
Clivedon Close bench and landscaping Provision of a suitable bench around the existing tree in the green area at the end of Clivedon Close, with landscaping enhancement Castle
Histon Road shops bench Provision of a bench or benches outside the shops on Histon Road Castle
Histon Road recreation ground improvements Installation of picnic benches and cycle racks on Histon Road recreation ground Castle
Adam and Eve Street/ Paradise Street corner environmental enhancement Landscaping enhancements to well established green open space to rejuvenate area and discourage antisocial behaviour Market
Sidney Street green landscaping Provision of a further street tree and engineered tree pit (if viable), on Sidney Street between Market Street and Petty Cury to assist water, heat, air quality and biodiversity management Market

Strategic EIP funding budget

Scheme Detail Area
Thorleye Road, Stanesfield Road and Whitehill Road corners Biodiversity Improvements Abbey
Whitehill Road verge protection Verge Protection and Biodiversity improvements Abbey
Coleridge street tree and verge protection Engineered Tree planting and Pits Coleridge
Romsey 'insect hotels' Biodiversity Improvements Romsey
Programme of welcome and biodiversity signage for open spaces Explanatory Boards for Biodiversity and other greenspace improvements across the city Various

Local highway improvement projects

If your proposed project is on the Highway, it might be more applicable for Local Highway Improvement projects.

Local councillors, community groups and individuals can also apply for Cambridgeshire County Council Local Highway Improvement funding. The county council will provide up to £15,000 towards successful applications, with a minimum of 10% of the project cost either being met locally or by us, where projects meet an agreed priority.

Successful projects will be those that both benefit the local community and help the County Council manage its assets better. For example by improving signs, road markings and crossings, speed management measures or parking controls.

Applications for Local Highways Improvements should be sent directly to the County Council. Where we feel that an application to our Environmental Improvement Programme is ineligible, but suited to consideration as a Local Highway Improvement, we will let you know.

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