VILLAGERS fighting plans to build homes on a playing field are to have talks with council officials behind the scheme.

People at Ushaw Moor are campaigning against proposals for 200 houses on the field near High View, which they say was bequeathed to the village in perpetuity as recreation land.

The development would form part of a Single Regeneration Budget scheme, led by Durham City Council, to breathe new life into the village and nearby Bearpark and New Brancepeth.

Around 350 people have signed a petition calling for the playing field to be saved amid concern in that the development will leave youngsters with nowhere to go.

Now Durham City Council is offering talks with officials about the regeneration scheme and playing field development.

Campaign spokeswoman Elizabeth Waghorn said: "We want answers to all the questions we have got. We have spoken to experts, people knowledgeable in planning and legal circles, and they have told us the things we should be asking, particularly about the provenance of the land.

"We have seen nothing that convinces us that these houses are necessary or will be good for the people in Ushaw Moor as there are many empty houses.

"We even asked businesses what they would think about the extra trade the new houses would give them. They said they would rather see the recreation field saved so that the youngsters would have somewhere to go."

The campaigners have lodged a claim with Durham County Council to have the field officially designated a village green, which would prevent development.

Durham City Council says the housing will help to fund the regeneration scheme. It also maintains it does not want to foist an unwanted scheme on people