MEMBERS of the public will be asked for their views on the sale of a Darlington school's playing fields.

Darlington Borough Council had planned to sell off the fields at Longfield School for development and the Department for Education had agreed the sale because it believed the fields had not been used for ten years.

But the council has now learnt that the fields have been used which means the sale must go out to consultation before it can go ahead.

The council hopes to sell the fields for housing and then develop other sporting facilities for the school at an alternative site.

A council spokesman said: "When we found out the fields had been used in the last ten years we went back to the Department for Education who told us there would have to be a consultation period before the land could be sold."

The proposed sale had concerned some residents who did not want their area to become over-developed.

The ten-week consultation begins today with any views being considered by the Department for Education before permission for the sale is now granted.