Councillors are planning secret talks with David Southwick over the controversial future of his Lighthouse Beach.

The Kingswear beach is still subject to a public inquiry battle over whether the beach should be designated a 'village green' and re-opened to the public.

But now parish councillors have approached Mr Southwick – who closed public access to the beach more than 10 years ago – to hold a meeting to discuss the beach and what should happen to it.

Parish council chairman Jonathan Hawkins admitted: 'We are going to have a meeting – hopefully in the next couple of weeks.'

He said he meeting would be confidential and involve parish council representative and representatives from Mr Southwick.

Cllr Hawkins said: 'It is hoped very much that we can come to some sort of an agreement. At this stage it is to meet, talk, discuss and see if there is a way forward for both us.

'At the moment it is very sensitive. We have said we would very much like to talk to him and see if there is a way forward for both of us together.'

The parish council has been at loggerheads with Mr Southwick for years over public access the beach.

The footpath to the beach was fenced off as long ago as 1999 and there is even a sign on the beach warning people approaching by boat that it is closed.

The council believes the public has had access to the beach for some 100 years before it was closed and they have applied to have it designated as a village green so that it can be reopened.

The beach owner David Southwick has opposed the application.

A public inquiry to decide the village green bid was due to go ahead at Kingswear Village Hall this November and last at least three days. But that was put on hold last month at a pre-inquiry meeting until a test case involving a similar village green battle involved a beach at East Sussex has been settled.

Meanwhile, the parish council has raised about £10,000 towards a fighting fund for its legal representation, while a barrister representing Mr Southwick has said publicly the legal bill for both sides is likely to run to £40,000 or £50,000 each.

A parish council meeting in August was held behind closed doors to discuss the beach following the pre-inquiry meeting when the full inquiry hearing was effectively shelved – probably for up to a year.

Minutes from the closed meeting revealed: 'A general discussion was held concerning dialogue with Mr Southwick and his legal team relating to access to the beach. The end result was a list of objectives and actions to be carried out.'