Projects boosting biodiversity, transforming green spaces and reducing waste benefit from landfill community scheme funding

9 Jan 2020 11:24 AM

Enhancing the biodiversity of a former spoil heap, creating a nature park and upcycling unwanted bikes are some of the projects set to benefit from more than £700,000 of Welsh Government funding.

A total of 16 projects across Wales have been chosen in the third round of funding under the Landfill Disposals Tax Community Scheme (LDTCS).

The scheme, which is managed by Wales Council for Voluntary Action (WCVA), provides funding for local projects valued between £5,000 and £50,000.

The scheme was established to support local community and environmental projects in areas affected by disposals to landfill, offsetting some of the negative effects of living near a landfill site. It is funded by the Welsh Landfill Disposals Tax (LDT), which replaced UK Landfill Tax in April 2018. 

LDT is a tax on the disposal of waste to landfill and is charged by weight.
Successful projects focusing on enhancing the environment, biodiversity, wildlife, waste minimisation and reuse will receive funding of up to £50,000 each.  

Projects set to benefit include:

• Groundwork North Wales will receive £49,800 to enhance the biodiversity of a public open space created from the former spoil heap at Plas Power Colliery near Wrexham.
• Innovate Trust will receive £49,000 supporting adults with learning disabilities to take part in outdoor activities which improve the biodiversity of green spaces across Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan.
• Keep Wales Tidy will receive £32,000 to improve an area of Merthyr and Gelligaer Common which has been heavily effected by fly tipping and anti-social-behaviour.
• Llyn Parc Mawr will benefit from £46,700 to create a nature park for biodiversity and well-being purposes in Anglesey.Refurbs Flintshire will receive nearly £50,000 to rescue and refurbish unwanted bikes, which would otherwise be disposed of as waste, to be sold on affordably.

The LDTCS accepts applications for funding through two funding windows each year, with applications for the fourth round open until 13 January and a fifth round opening in the spring.

Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths, yesterday said:

The successful projects gaining funding will benefit communities across Wales.

They will not only boost biodiversity, well-being and enhance the local environment, but also help local groups explore their outdoor surroundings and reduce waste that would otherwise go to landfill.

Minister for Finance and Trefnydd, Rebecca Evans, yesterday said:

I am pleased to see that the Landfill Disposals Tax is supporting yet more fantastic projects. The benefits of this scheme will be felt for generations to come and I would encourage those who are eligible to apply for funding before the next round closes later this month.

Catherine Miller, WCVA’s Grant Funds Manager, yesterday said:

Projects awarded in 2018-19 have already achieved huge environmental contributions across Wales. We are excited to see what the community led action enabled from this latest round of awards will achieve and the environmental positivity brought about by these grants.