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've also added and improved fencing, wildflower areas, gates, benches, street trees, wayfinding lighting and notice boards.
Anybody can request a project or put forward an idea. Before this was through their local area ward councillors, but this year we are using a combination of Citizenlab - our new engagement platform. This allows all residents of Cambridge to come forward with project ideas and vote for ideas for EIP and the more traditional application method.
We have two types of funding available 1) Local area based and 2) Strategic priority based - both types of funding are limited.
1) 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 Citizenlab consultation platform.
2) 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.
Following consideration and the collation of projects and ideas received, a report will be produced 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 will be published here in January 2022 and project delivery will then commence through the Environmental Services - Project Delivery Team.
The amount of local area, and strategic priority funding available is limited - it's usually not possible to fund all proposed projects in any given year.
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.
Suggest a project
We are open from 21 September for suggestions and ideas for new Environmental Improvement Programme projects.
To qualify, your suggested project must meet the eligibility criteria, be submitted by 28 October (but please submit earlier if you wish to give others chance to support your application on Citizenlab) and aim to be delivered by the end of 2023.
There are two options to get your idea(s) considered:
- Preferred Option: to sign-up to Citizenlab and put forward ideas and suggestions. The added advantage is that Citizenlab 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.
- 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 2022 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: £27,769
- North area – Arbury, East Chesterton, King’s Hedges and West Chesterton wards: £26,505
- South area – Cherry Hinton, Queen Edith’s and Trumpington wards: £25,529
- West/Central area – Castle, Market and Newnham wards: £20,197
- Strategic funds – £70,000
Current and recent projects
East Area (Abbey, Coleridge, Petersfield and Romsey Wards)
|
Scheme Title |
Scheme Description |
Ward |
|
Barnwell Road library - beds planting |
Improving the soft landscaping to add colour and interest around well-used community facilities. |
Abbey |
|
Dudley Road recreation -ground addition of benches |
Installing new benches on Dudley Road recreation ground.
|
Abbey |
|
Birdwood Road - bus shelter |
Installing a new bus shelter. |
Coleridge |
|
Glisson Road Trees |
Planting new trees on Glisson Road. |
Petersfield |
|
St Matthew’s Piece |
Installing improved lighting on St Matthew’s Piece. |
Petersfield |
|
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 |
|
Romsey - Tree planting |
Installing new street trees and planters on Hobart Road and Suez Road, formerly in Romsey ward. |
Romsey |
North Area (Arbury, East Chesterton, Kings Hedges and West Chesterton Wards)
|
Scheme Title |
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 |
|
Drop Kerb Trafalgar Street |
Installed a new dropped kerb on Trafalgar Street.
|
West Chesterton |
|
Highworth Ave Road Safety Improvements |
New road safety measures and street trees on Highworth Avenue. |
West Chesterton |
|
Street Trees Chesterton Road and Humberstone Road |
Planted new street trees on Chesterton Road and Humberstone Road.
|
West Chesterton |
South Area (Cherry Hinton, Queen Edith’s and Trumpington Wards
|
Scheme Title |
Scheme Description |
Ward |
|
Lime Avenue benches, Byron Square benches |
Provision of new benches at Byron Square and Lime Avenue. |
Trumpington |
|
Byron Square trees |
Planting of new trees on the King George V playing field to provide shade and encourage biodiversity. |
Trumpington |
|
Anstey Way verge improvement |
Enhancement of grass verge areas near the shops on Anstey Way including planting of wildflowers. |
Trumpington |
|
Chaucer Road Corner Bench |
Refurbishment of a 50-year-old bench on the corner of Chaucer Road and Trumpington Road, formerly in Trumpington ward. |
Trumpington |
|
Cavendish Avenue |
Landscaped road narrowing at the Hills Road end of Cavendish Avenue. |
Queen Edith's |
|
Cherry Hinton recreation ground Benches |
Replacement, addition and repositioning of benches on Cherry Hinton recreation ground, to address noise and antisocial behaviour. |
Cherry Hinton |
|
War Memorial High Street |
Enhancement of the war memorial on the High Street. |
Cherry Hinton |
|
Wenvoe Meadows |
Enhancing biodiversity and access to Wenvoe Meadows. |
Cherry Hinton |
|
Hobson's Brook footpath improvements |
Installation of gates on Hobson’s Brook footpath, to deter cycling. |
Trumpington |
|
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 Title |
Scheme Description |
Ward |
|
City Centre open spaces enhanced biodiversity |
Installed bird, bat and bug boxes and wildflower meadows, on Christ's Pieces, Jesus Green, Midsummer Common and Parker's Piece, to encourage wildlife and provide a more interesting colourful environment. |
Market |
|
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 |
Installation of picnic benches and cycle racks on Histon Road recreation ground. |
Castle |
|
Various Wayfinding (Gough Way, Coe Fen and Driftway) Noticeboard Gough Way |
Installed wayfinding lighting on the footpath and community noticeboard on Gough Way, and to the paths on Coe Fen and Driftway (Lammas Land).
|
Newnham |
|
Adam and Eve Street/ |
Landscaping enhancements to well established green open space to rejuvenate area and discourage antisocial behaviour. |
Market |
|
Sidney Street green |
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 |
|
Quayside Seating |
Enhanced access and seating on Quayside.
|
Market |
Strategic EIP funding budget
|
City-wide installation of water points |
Cherry Hinton Hall Park, Christ’s Pieces, King’s Hedges recreation ground, Lammas Land, and Trumpington recreation ground. |
Various |
|
Thorleye Road, Stanesfield Road and Whitehill Road corners |
Biodiversity Improvements. |
Abbey |
|
Wadloes Road verge planting |
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.
- Find out more about privately funded highway improvements on the county council website.
