PLAYING fields in Davenham will not be sold off for housing, insist parish councillors in a move to reassure residents.

Davenham Parish Council has been forced to issue a statement about the future of Butchers Stile Playing Field after rumours started to spread around the village.

The council also wanted to set the record straight after confusion over who owns the field, home to cricket and football fields and a children’s play area.

Speaking at the latest parish council meeting, chairman Clr Tony Sellers said: “We’ve received a few emails from people asking if we are planning to sell Butchers Stile for development.

“We have written back to each individual person saying we are in no discussions for the development of Butchers Stile and we have been quite clear on that.

“We have proposed some wording to be put on our website to clarify the position.”

Clr Arthur Wood added: “We have no intention whatsoever of selling the playing field and we need to make that clear.

“We’re not in talks with any third party, never were and have no intention of doing so.”

The Guardian has also been contacted by three separate residents by email, each of which have declined to be identified, expressing concerns over whether the fields are owned by the parish council or Cheshire West and Chester Council.

Davenham Parish Council’s statement said: “The parish council is the legal owner of both fields.

“The football field was registered to Cheshire West and Chester Council in error, but this is in the course of being rectified and the deeds will again show Davenham Parish Council as the legal owner.”