HS2 Ltd has awarded £13,445,843 to 236 community projects on Phase One and Phase 2a over the last six years. Projects in the Central Area of HS2’s Phase One, including Buckinghamshire, Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire and Hertfordshire have received over £4.9 million in total.
The latest figures are revealed in Groundwork UK’s 2023 annual report, which also confirms that £2,023,171 has been awarded to 39 projects between London and Crewe in the last 12 months.
Twelve projects in Buckinghamshire, Northamptonshire & Oxfordshire have shared £540,485 in funding in the last year.
Starting in 2017, HS2 created the Community and Environment Fund (CEF) and the Business and Local Economy Fund (BLEF) to aid community groups and business partnerships impacted by the construction of Phase One (London to Birmingham) and Phase 2a (Birmingham to Crewe) of the HS2 project. The funds are independently administered by community charity Groundwork.
In October 2022, Brackley Town Football Club finished construction of 'The Venue' - a new clubhouse which opened its doors after two years of reconstruction following a devastating fire in 2019. The Venue opened thanks to the hard work of volunteers supported by a £75k grant from HS2.
In previous years, HS2’s CEF & BLEF scheme has helped to fund the construction of new female changing facilities at Chiltern Forest Golf Club, the renovation of Chalfont St Giles Scout Hall and the creation of a community café Healthy Living Centre in Aylesbury.
Cathy Elliott, Independent Chair of the HS2 Funds said:
“It’s fantastic to be able to report that HS2’s funding programme for line of route communities has awarded £13.4 million since 2017, with over £2 million distributed in the last year to locally-led projects between London and Crewe.
“I have been lucky enough to visit several projects and see the impact of the funding first-hand, such as the opening of brand new playgrounds and thriving environmental regeneration initiatives. It’s clear to see the significant difference the funding makes and how important it is to local communities.”
The CEF & BLEF schemes will provide up to £45m of funding throughout the construction timeline of HS2, supporting community-led projects that improve the environment, such as tree planting and energy efficiency measures. The Funds also support initiatives that bring benefits to local communities, such as the provision of new community facilities or support for local heritage and culture.
