Residents from an Oxfordshire village are celebrating the allocation of a £100,000 grant from the Tarmac Landfill Communities Fund towards the creation of a new play area for local children.
Led by Sonning Common Parish Council, the project aims to provide a different play experience to anything currently on offer in the village and will be developed with youngsters of all abilities in mind.
The design of the project is currently out to tender, with a public consultation planned for the autumn where the community will have the chance to give feedback on the successful proposal. Following residents’ feedback, the play area is then anticipated to be installed at the village’s memorial park and ready for use in Spring 2022.
Becky Jenkins, deputy clerk of the Parish Council, said: “It’s fantastic to see this project get off the ground and it will be exciting to see the chosen design become a reality.
“The play area will become a family destination for the local community thanks to the generous donation from the Tarmac Landfill Communities Fund.”
Kevin Browne, unit manager at Tarmac’s Sonning Quarry, said: “It’s great to be able to support this project through the Tarmac Landfill Communities Fund. I’m sure it will make a huge difference to the local community, and I look forward to seeing how the project progresses over the coming months.”
Area at Sonning Common Memorial Park where the new play area is to be built
The Tarmac Landfill Communities Fund (or Landfill Tax Credit Scheme as it was formerly known) enables landfill operators like Tarmac, to donate part of their annual tax liability to enrolled Environmental Bodies for a variety of approved community and environmental projects. Landfill operators can reclaim 90% of their contribution as a tax credit which means the remaining 10% must be provided either by them or an independent third party.
Through the fund Tarmac donates around £1 million each year to community projects throughout the UK. The fund is open to applicants who meet the strict criteria for projects delivering community benefit. For more information, please go to www.entrust.org.uk
