Mole Valley District Council’s Neighbourhood Fund consists of money collected from developers when new homes or retail premises are built in the district. Past applications have been received from not-for-profit organisations, including community groups and registered charities, requesting funding to support specific projects to boost the local area.
Applications to the Neighbourhood Fund can be made at any time of year for projects which deliver new infrastructure or maintain what already exists in Mole Valley’s local communities. The definition of ‘infrastructure’ in relation to the Fund is broad, and includes projects related to transport, schools and other educational facilities, open spaces and medical, sporting and recreational facilities. Successful past applications for funding have led to community buildings being refurbished, a new playground constructed, new sports equipment for clubs and the installation of traffic calming measures.
There is no limit on how much funding can be applied for; the amount of money being requested just needs to be appropriate for the scale of project being proposed by the applicant. Applications can be made for full or part-funding of a project. The largest amount granted for an individual funding application to date is £100,000. Bids can be made directly to Mole Valley District Council (MVDC) in ‘non-parished’ areas. Parish Councils are passed the neighbourhood portion of CIL so that they can allocate funding in ‘parished areas’* having received one or more funding applications. To check eligibility or to apply for funding, visit molevalley.gov.uk/neighbourhoodfund.
Funding applications are considered three times a year by the MVDC councillors on the North and South Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy Working Groups. The creation of a new East Surrey Unitary Authority in April 2027 means that there are only four remaining Neighbourhood Fund application windows (2nd February ‘26, 1st June ‘26, 5th October 26’ and 1st February 27’) before MVDC is dissolved – alongside the County Council and all other district and borough councils in Surrey.
Money held in the Neighbourhood Fund is allocated by MVDC across non-parished towns and villages in Mole Valley. The amounts available will vary over time, subject to funds being allocated to one or more successful funding applications, or levy contributions by a developer topping up one or more of the town and village funding pots. Listed below are the approximate funds available per Neighbourhood Fund zone at this time:
North
- Ashtead: £235,000
- Bookham: £250,000
- Fetcham: £17,000
- Leatherhead: £135,000
South
- Box Hill: £6,500
- Dorking: £53,000
- Westcott: £40,000
Councillor Bradley Nelson, MVDC’s Cabinet Member for Planning and Infrastructure, said: “Money from the Neighbourhood Fund has helped deliver some impressive community-led projects across Mole Valley in recent years, including resurfacing and enlarging tennis courts in Ashtead, the installation of a bump track in Bookham and a new playground in Fetcham. This funding pot exists because of the levy contributions developers are required to pay MVDC as the local planning authority. It is only right that Neighbourhood Fund money is ringfenced for new projects or improvements to existing infrastructure aimed to help address pressures brought about by new housing developments.
“While developer contributions will continue to be made to the local planning authority when the new unitary authority comes into force in a little over a year’s time, we cannot foresee exactly what form that will take. That being the case, I would certainly encourage local communities to carefully review and take advantage of MVDC’s well-established Neighbourhood Fund initiative and submit a bid to improve your local community in one or more of the next four available funding windows. Applicants should, wherever possible, apply for funding from the Neighbourhood Fund zone ‘pot’ that covers their local area.”
