Harrogate Borough Council charged housing developers £1.2m in 2019/20 to fund infrastructure projects, such as children’s play equipment and village halls.

The figure is revealed in the council’s first infrastructure funding statement.

The statement includes details of section 106 payments, which developers pay as part of the planning process to fund infrastructure that residents will use. 

A report to councillors revealed that of the £1.2 million generated, the council has so far collected £550,000.

Almost £200,000 of this has already been spent on schemes such as children’s play equipment, allotments, cemeteries, open spaces, village hall improvements and outdoor sports repairs around the district.

Examples of specific projects include: improving the toilets at Killinghall village hall, improving a multi-use games area in Kirkby Malzeard, installing planters in Darley and erecting village signs in Little Ouseburn

Harrogate Borough Council’s section 106 payments relate only to open space, village halls and affordable housing.

Developers also pay section 106 payments to improve education, roads and public transport but these are collected and monitored by North Yorkshire County Council.

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The report also reveals the council has collected £2.4 million in section 106 payments from previous years, which it has not yet spent.

The document says section 106 payments can only be spent when the final payment from a development has been received.

It also says it keeps the money to “avoid the risks associated with developers going out of business”.

The report is expected to be rubber-stamped by the council’s cabinet member for planning, councillor Tim Myatt, on Tuesday.