Community, education, environmental and infrastructure projects across Rother are set to benefit from a £1.3m funding boost from the District Council.
The investment – which will support seven projects that will improve local facilities, enhance accessibility, and promote sustainability – has been made from Rother’s Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) fund.
The CIL is a charge paid on certain new developments to help fund the infrastructure needed to support growth. It ensures that developer contributions are reinvested into local communities, helping to deliver improvements to community facilities, green infrastructure, roads, schools, and other essential services that benefit residents.
The largest allocation, £519,584, has been awarded to Rother Voluntary Action (RVA) to support the creation of a new multi-use Community Hub at 34 Devonshire Road, Bexhill-on-Sea.
The project will transform a disused building into a flexible community space for activities, events, training and service delivery. Part of the funding comes through the council’s Climate Emergency Bonus CIL Fund and will help deliver sustainability and environmental improvements as part of the redevelopment.
A further £331,000 has been allocated towards a programme of improvements and refurbishments at Rye Leisure Centre. The project includes the creation of a new community café and social space, refurbishment and repairs to the gym and sports hall, repairs to leaking roofs, improvements to the swimming pool infrastructure and enhancements to fire safety.
Investment in education will see £310,000 awarded to East Sussex County Council to help create a new Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) facility at Glenleigh Park Primary Academy in Bexhill-on-Sea. The project will adapt two existing classrooms to provide specialist provision for up to 12 pupils with autism and other SEND requirements, including a dedicated teaching area, sensory room, adapted toilet facilities, kitchen space and outdoor play area.
Environmental sustainability has also received a boost in the latest allocations. Bexhill Museum has secured £40,956 to install solar panels, battery storage, a monitoring system and a public-facing digital display showing real-time carbon savings. The project is expected to save around 3.7 tonnes of carbon dioxide each year, equating to approximately 93 tonnes of CO2 over the lifetime of the system, while helping visitors better understand the environmental benefits of renewable energy.
Catsfield Parish Council has been awarded £35,748 for the decarbonisation of Catsfield Pavilion. The project will replace the building’s oil-fired boiler with an air source heat pump, install solar photovoltaic panels and improve insulation, helping to future-proof the facility while reducing both carbon emissions and energy costs.
Accessibility improvements will be delivered at the Flatlands Projects Art Centre in Bexhill following the award of £47,000. The funding will support the installation of automatic internal and external doors, improved access routes and wayfinding measures, helping make the facility more welcoming and accessible to all users.
Meanwhile, Westfield Parish Council will receive £35,000 towards a package of traffic calming and public realm improvements along the A28 through Westfield village. The proposals include village gateway features, improved signage and road markings, landscaping and coloured road surfacing designed to improve road safety and create a more attractive village environment.
Cllr Teresa Killeen, Chair of the Strategic CIL Allocations Panel at Rother District Council, said: “This £1.3 million investment demonstrates how developer contributions can be used to deliver lasting benefits for communities across Rother.
“The projects we are supporting will improve community facilities, create opportunities for young people with additional needs, make buildings more sustainable, improve accessibility and enhance road safety. By reinvesting Community Infrastructure Levy funding into local priorities, we are helping ensure that development delivers tangible benefits for residents both now and in the future.”
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Published: 12th November 2026
