TOWN hall bosses are sitting on almost £3 million earmarked for community projects.

When developers build on land in Bury, they sometimes have to put aside so-called “section 106 cash” to compensate the community for the loss of open space.

The funds can be spent on a range of projects, from art installations to the creation of country trails and children’s play areas.

A new Bury Council report shows £2,969,445.83 is being held by the council awaiting the right projects to be suggested.

The report says another reason for a delay in spending the cash is because in some cases, contributions are for “long-term maintenance” of land that has been transferred to the council.

However, the council says it is making efforts to spend the money where possible.

More than £500,000 has been set aside for improving recreation facilities and £231,000 of it has been allocated “with work in the progress”, says the report, with a further £159,000 going on improving Broad Oak playing fields.

Some of the cash has been spent at Radcliffe skate park, Whaley Road allotments, Clarence Park, Whitehead Garden, St Mary’s Flower Park in Prestwich and the ball zone and tennis courts in Bolton Road Park, Radcliffe.

Local nature reserves have had £152,000 spent on them and another £130,000 will be spent on maintaining and repairing the Roch Valley Greenway once land has been transferred.

Other areas to benefit will be Kirklees Valley and Chapelfield, Radcliffe.

The council plans to spend £40,000 on public art in Brandlesholme and it has £842,000 available for projects that will create jobs, such as clearing Japanese knotweed from Chamberhall Business Park with the hope of drawing in new tenants.

Another £901,000 is in a fund to create affordable housing and the council will spend £617,000 of it in Radcliffe.

Of the remaining cash, £16,600 is being spent on a survey for how land in Clerke Street could be developed, £10,000 is being spent on road safety near Fletcher Bank Quarry and £10,000 will be spent on improving the public space close to the new Aldi supermarket in Bury New Road, Prestwich.

People can visit tinyurl.com/burysection106 to read the full report, which details more projects.