Residents in Norwich, Norfolk, can now apply for funding to turn untidy public spaces into community gardens or cleaner areas aimed at discouraging illegal dumping. Norwich City Council launched the latest Love Norwich grants scheme in early February 2026 to help neighbours take greater responsibility for their streets.
The grant scheme offers money for projects such as new plants, improved lighting or physical deterrents like fencing in identified fly‑tipping ‘hotspots’. The move follows council data reported in local media showing 6,927 incidents of fly‑tipping between May 2024 and April 2025.
Local reporting and council data show the most commonly targeted places are estates with communal bin areas — with areas such as Mile Cross, Mancroft and Heartsease among the worst affected. The council says improving the look and management of these spaces is one way to reduce dumping.
Funding for Love Norwich grants has previously been provided through sources such as the UK Shared Prosperity Fund; local community projects can also be supported by the Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy (NCIL), which is funded by developers’ CIL payments. The council estimates that clearing illegal dumping costs the city about £1 million a year.
Local resident groups and community organisations can apply for grants via the Love Norwich/Pledge Norwich online portal to pay for tools, plants and materials for projects. The council says giving residents resources to manage and improve their own areas will help make the city cleaner and safer for everyone.
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