PUBLIC facilities in Hagley Playing Fields are being given a £60,000 boost as a result of the latest housing developments being developed in the village.

The payments have been agreed as part of the planning applications for 24 new homes off Brook Crescent and seven homes on Western Road.

Two separate developers have had to pay a total of £60,040 towards public open space facilities by way of Section 106 agreements.

The payments were due once the building work started, and with both developments now well underway, the cash will soon be available for use on upgrading the facilities in the village centre playing fields.

An independent report was commissioned by Bromsgrove District Council back in 2008 which identified a shortfall of such facilities in Hagley.

Hagley East councillor Rachel Jenkins said: “Bromsgrove District Council required developers to make just over £60,000 available to improve facilities on the Hagley Playing Fields from two developments.

“Being now also a district councillor for Hagley East which covers the playing fields, I look forward to working with the parish council and fellow district councillor Steve Colella in choosing what facilities the money should be spent on.

“There seems to be a need for an adult outdoor gym as some of the smaller surrounding villages have them already and it would also be great to further add to the older children’s play equipment.”

Peter Rowbottom, of Hagley Residents Action Group, who discovered the district council’s report, said: “This is more great news for Hagley with all this money available for further improvements to facilities in the playing fields.

“Thanks are due to Worcestershire County Councillor Rachel Jenkins who formally raised the issue of the independent report with Bromsgrove Council during the planning application process back in 2014, and also Hagley Parish Council, who both made specific requests for this money.”