BURY has scored a £90,000 hat-trick in attracting new green schemes to the borough.

The town is to have its first nature reserve after three local charities won cash from the Greening Greater Manchester Scheme.

The other two projects will mean more development of the proposed National Cycle Network and improvements to the Barn Countryside Centre at Philips Park, Whitefield.

The GGM scheme is funded through the landfill tax, introduced by the Government to turn tipping operations into environmental improvements.

The nature reserve scheme is being put together by the Lancashire Wildlife Trust which is choosing between several sites.

The reserve is likely to be a forerunner of similar projects to meet the council's LA21 Strategy commitment. Rossendale Groundwork Trust will play the leading role in developing the new leg of the cycle network running through the Kirklees Valley. It will appoint an officer to seek extra cash and commission a detailed design, which may take in the Island Lodge viaduct in Tottington.

The third scheme will see the local British Trust for Conservation Volunteers improving the facilities at the Barn Countryside Centre in Whitefield where BTCV has its headquarters.

This will mean that local schools will be able to use the centre more, while others can attend "taster" days.

Bury council played a part in supporting the cash bids put to the Greening Greater Manchester Scheme.

Coun Stuart Kaufman, Bury's environment spokesman, said: "We are very pleased that their applications have been successful and that these projects, supplemented by financial support from other quarters, will be able to get underway."

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