HALF a million pounds given to Yate to offset the impact of housing developments in the town will be saved up and spent accumulatively.

Town councillors will spend the cash on improving all play areas which have not been refurbished in recent years, enhancing sports facilities at Sunnyside Lane and an informal public space at Wellington Road.

Cllr Chris Willmore said: “Basically it will fund a lot of improvements in Yate.

“We have in excess of £500,000 which has to be spent on outdoor facilities over the next five years.”

Housebuilders are legally obliged to hand over contributions, known as Section 106 monies, to local authorities to improve public facilities near any new development. It is commonplace for money from individual developments to be spent separately, rather than saved up for large-scale projects.

“There has been quite a lot of development in Yate recently,” added Cllr Willmore. “So Yate Town Council put in a proposal to South Gloucestershire Council on how that money should be spent.

“For each development the money has to be spent in the vicinity of that project so money from the Sea Stores site could not be spent at Brimsham Park for instance.

“We have mapped out development so we can make sure the money is spent in a sensible manner in communities which need doing up.”