Community projects across the New Forest have been awarded a total of almost £1million in funding from developer contributions.

Thirty-one local infrastructure projects will be supported by the community infrastructure levy (CIL) allocations.

The funding ranges from £100,000 towards a replacement village hall and £72,500 for pedestrian improvements in a town centre to £1,000 for a community garden and £10,000 to install solar panels.

Members of New Forest District Council’s cabinet signed off on awarding the grants at a meeting on Tuesday, April 2.

Cllr Derek Tipp, portfolio holder for planning and economy, said: “Once again as in previous years, these projects have been through a rigorous selection process, involving scrutiny by both officers and members to bring the original 79 bids costing £2.8million down to the final 31 costing just short of £1million.

“Every one of these projects will be of great benefit to the community.

“They include a number of play areas, sports facilities and improvements to village halls, as well as footpaths and bridleways.”

Dean Brunton, service manager for planning policy, infrastructure and delivery, said the CIL funding allocations involved a “very collaborative approach”.

A total of £998,100.85 was awarded across the top scoring projects.

Introduced in 2015, CIL provides funding to help deliver infrastructure that is needed when developments are carried out.

Contributions are collected from developers to make schemes acceptable in planning terms.

Cabinet also approved opening a two-month bid window for local infrastructure projects for the 2026/27 financial year during spring this year.

A separate two-month window for expressions of interest for strategic infrastructure projects was also given the green light.

Dibden and Dibden Purlieu Liberal Democrat Councillor Malcolm Wade said it was “really important” CIL money was spent on New Forest residents.

On the strategic infrastructure window, Cllr Wade said: “I’m very supportive of Hythe Ferry and I’m pretty sure they will be putting in some bid to get the pontoon fixed and if that meets the criteria, I will hope that this authority supports that wish.

“Not only does it take cars off the A326, but it brings tourists into the New Forest, it supports the New Forest community as a whole and it’s the right thing to do.

“Also it shows that we are a joined together community supporting our own assets and issues.”

The Hythe Ferry, which operates between the New Forest village and Town Quay in Southampton, has not been running since August last year.

The pontoon and its supporting structure at the end of Hythe Pier are damaged and need to be replaced at a cost of £250,000.

Hythe Ferry Company is attempting to raise the money through a crowdfunding page and grants.

Previous efforts to obtain local authority support have proved unsuccessful.

The full list of projects, funding amount and bidder that will receive local infrastructure CIL money by location are listed below.

Bransgore

  • New play area. £25,232. Thorney Hill Community Centre Association.

Brockenhurst

  • Multi-use games area. £43,200. The Brockenhurst Village Trust.

Copythorne

  • Installation of village gateways. £4,000. Copythorne Parish Council.

Damerham

  • Bridleway Damerham to Sandleheath improvements. £81,500. Hampshire County Council.

East Boldre

  • Redevelopment of the village hall. £100,000. East Boldre Village Hall.

Fawley

  • Improvements to Gang Warily sports hall, new specialist floor, new sockets for badminton nets and basketball hoops. £7,498. Fawley Parish Council.

Fordingbridge

  • Introduce road markings and modify road signage. £2,900. Whitsbury Parish Council.
  • Refurbished and enhanced pedestrian link between Fordingbridge car park and High Street. £72,500. Fordingbridge Town Council.

Hale

  • Solar panels. £10,000. Hale Village Hall (New Forest).

Hordle

  • Replacement upgraded multi-use games area and cycle rack. £70,000. Hordle Parish Council.

Hythe and Dibden

  • Play area improvements (multiple locations). £10,433. Hythe and Dibden Parish Council.
  • Community garden. £1,000. Hythe Pier Garden.
  • Creation of an outdoor space that offers a secure and nurturing environment. £13,704.50. Wildground Infant School.

Lymington and Pennington

  • Sea Water Bath improvements. £35,775. Lymington and Pennington Town Council.
  • Withy Woods project. £44,250. Lymington and Pennington Town Council.

Lyndurst

  • Replace the zipwire at the Coles Mead Recreation Ground. £22,308.37. Lyndhurst Parish Council.
  • New footpath at Great Mead open space. £4,725. Lyndhurst Parish Council.

Marchwood

  • Solar panels on the village hall at Lloyd Recreation Ground. £9,995. Marchwood Parish Council.

Milford-on-Sea

  • Install a lockable bike shelter with storage racks for bikes, as well as two scooter racks. £6,339. Milford-on-Sea CofE Primary School.

New Milton

  • Demolish and replace an old community dog training temporary building. £75,000. The Friendly Dog Club.
  • To replace the current fixed seating at Forest Arts Centre with retractable seating. £32,329. Forest Arts Centre – Hampshire Cultural Trust.
  • Enhanced recreational mitigation of the sensitive Nature 2000 sites – Carrick Wood. £40,000. New Milton Town Council/ New Forest District Council.
  • Hollands Wood Drive public open space off Fernhill Lane – multi-play unit. £41,550. New Milton Town Council.
  • Ashley Recreation Ground provision of a sports wall and sensory board. £32,000. New Milton Town Council.

Ringwood

  • Promote awareness, use and enjoyment of the Castleman Trailway through signage, information boards and benches. £20,960. Hampshire County Council.

Rockbourne

  • Reinforcement of grass car park surface. £9,672. Rockbourne Roman Villa – Hampshire Cultural Trust.

Sandleheath

  • Traffic management improvements. £99,934. Sandleheath Parish Council.

Sway

  • Drainage infrastructure improvements for cricket pavilion. £14,332. Sway Parish Council.
  • Enhancements to Sway Village Hall kitchen and sound system. £26,964. Sway Village Hall.

Totton and Eling

  • New pieces of accessible and sensory play equipment at seven of the existing play areas. £30,000. Totton and Eling Town Council.

Woodgreen

  • Solar panels. £10,000. Woodgreen Community Shop Association Ltd.