PARISH councillors at the centre of a land dispute have called for crunch talks with a developer who is planning to build houses on a former recreation ground.

Dene Valley Parish Council is hoping that Miller Homes will agree to discuss the future of the land in Auckland Park, near Bishop Auckland, before building work starts.

The council wants to become a trustee of the land, which is at the centre of a dispute over ownership.

It has papers to show that the land, near William Street, was a popular recreation area in the 1930s and 1940s and was originally bought by the village colliery's welfare scheme for recreational purposes only.

It was left in trust and residents and the Charity Commission are supporting the council's move to take over as trustees.

The role would give the council legal status to lodge a claim with the Land Registry for ownership of part of the site.

But there are other claims on the land and the council could face a lengthy legal battle with Miller Homes, which recently bought it from Hall Construction.

Two years ago, the Land Registry accepted a claim of squatter's rights over the plot and registered it to a private individual without, the council said, consulting it or Wear Valley District Council.

The district council later granted planning permission for 40 homes and Miller Homes has already started work on the site's drainage.

Councillor Chris Foote Wood, from Dene Valley Parish Council, said he hoped the issue could be solved before any houses were built.

He said: "We are sure that this can be resolved amicably if the developers will just agree to sit down and talk to us, but so far they have refused.

"The whole area is two acres, but we are only concerned with about one acre of land. Auckland Park is desperately in need of a play area, especially with all of the new development that is going on.

"We want to find a way of settling this without either side spending large amounts of money."

Miller Homes refused to comment.