BARROWFORD'S civic leaders have been warned time is running out to spend £48,000 on a new village play area.

Pendle Borough Council was given the money as part of conditions for allowing houses to be built on Holmfield Mill in 2000.

But a suitable site has never been found and now councillors have just two years to have it finished. If work does not go ahead, the council will have to hand the money back.

Executive director for community engagement Philip Mousdale said: "There are three issues.

"Time is starting to ebb away. To comply with the obligation, the work needs to be completed, not just started, by July 27, 2007.

"Compliance with the obligation means provision in close proximity of the Holmfield Mill development. The committee has so far considered the grounds of Holmfield House and Bull Holme playing fields by the pavilion."

Developer Ribble Enterprises was given permission to build 60 houses on the former Holmfield Mill site in Gisburn Road. Money for community projects is often given to councils in return for planning permission.

Chairman of Barrowford and Western parishes committee Linda Crossley said councillors would be asking the developers to alter the conditions so the money could be spent on play equipment in Barrowford Park.

She said: "We haven't been able to find a suitable site and we have decided to speak to the developer to see if they would agree to a slight alteration in the conditions to enable extension to the play area in the park.

"This is something a lot of people have suggested. The park is so well used, if you go on a nice day there are hundreds of people and children there. If the developer agrees, we will be looking for something imaginative."-