Over £18 million of new and increased capital investments including biodiversity projects, school upgrades and a new community centre have been proposed by South Gloucestershire Council’s Cabinet to drive a green economic recovery.

Part of the council’s Capital Programme, the additional funding will deliver six new projects along with funding increases for two existing schemes.

The new and increased investments that will benefit South Gloucestershire’s communities include:

• Commons Connections – £125,000 council funding on top of £1,134,000 of external funding for a project to increase, improve and better connect important habitats for nature to help address biodiversity decline. This will include habitat and access improvements across 67 green spaces in the Kingswood area and the project also seeks to raise awareness and encourage use of the sites thereby sustaining health and wellbeing benefits.

• Ladden Garden Village Community Centre - £2.93 million for the delivery of a new community building, located in the local centre at Ladden Garden Village in Yate. £2.79 million of the funding has been secured as Section 106 developer contributions, with £140,000 provided by the council.

• Castle School Education Trust (CSET) Masterplan – £679,000 additional funding for improvement work at Castle School (Thornbury) and Marlwood School (Alveston). £427,000 will be provided by Section 106 developer contributions, with £252,000 provided by the council. This brings the total investment to £14.9 million and the overall project includes repair and maintenance works to both Marlwood and The Castle schools, remodeling at The Castle and a new classroom block at The Castle. The first two of these elements are being delivered by CSET and the third is being delivered by the council.

• The Grange site development works – £3.84 million for the provision of new sports facilities at the former Grange school site in Warmley. Work is currently underway on the site to enable new homes, a new primary school and improved walking and cycling infrastructure to connect the new developments to the wider community. The total investment is now £10.51 million including grant funding of £4.65 million from Homes England and £2.02 million from the Brownfield Land Release Fund.

• Thornbury High Street improvements – £4.577 million additional funding to continue to further develop plans for the future of the High Street. This funding will enable the council to continue to build upon the interim High Street scheme introduced in July 2020, which includes the prohibition of through traffic, creation of dedicated blue-badge, loading and drop off bays, widening footways, increasing cycle parking and a new vision for a people orientated High Street with new seating, planting and wayfinding. This brings the total investment to £5.097 million.