More than £100,000 has been paid to towns and villages across North Somerset to help address issues arising from housing development.

Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) payments in North Somerset reached £107,424 in the past six months, helping communities bolster infrastructure to cope with increased house-building across the district.

CIL was introduced by the council in 2018, forcing developers to pay out when they receive planning permission to help pay for improvements to schools, roads and more.

Town and parish councils receive 15 per cent of the cash for developments in their area, and can receive 25 per cent if they have a neighbourhood plan.

Payments are made every six months, and in October councils received CIL cash.

Yatton Parish Council received £49,000, and £114,000 more was spent from North Somerset's CIL kitty on a new primary school for the village in the summer to mitigate significant housing growth at North End.

Developers' grants are expected to pay for a crossing near the Arnolds Way roundabout, too.

Weston received the second largest amount, with £24,615 given to its town council, while Kewstoke recieved £1,167.

Winscombe and Sandford Parish Council was awarded £13,464 and Locking received £11,491.

Wrington received £1,250.37 and Congresbury got £673.32, while £400 was given to Banwell.

Cllr James Tonkin, North Somerset's executive member for planning, said: "I'm delighted to see this money going direct to communities to support them in providing new infrastructure for the benefit of their residents.

"It's entirely right that communities should benefit first-hand from this funding which can make a significant difference at local level."

Towns and villages which missed out on funding did not have any qualifying developments completed in the six-month period.

A council spokesman added: "In North Somerset, CIL applies primarily to retail and residential developments and the rates vary according to the size, location and type of development.

"There are exceptions for affordable housing and properties being built for the owner's own use, for example house extensions, as well as for charitable projects."