Campaignes are celebrating after judges ruled a beach could be deemed a village green for public use.

Court of Appeal judges have agreed residents should be allowed access to West Beach, Newhaven, in a judgement released this week.

The judgement follows a hearing held at the Court of Appeal last month.

The move would force Newhaven Port and Properties to allow public access onto the beach for the first time since 2008, when the sandy stretch was shut amid concerns for public safety.

Beach owners Newhaven Port and Properties had argued the village green legislation contained in the Commons Act 2006 was incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights.

The judge at a judicial review held in November 2011 dismissed this argument but the beach’s owners appealed against his judgement.

Now the Court of Appeal has upheld the original decision.

Newhaven Mayor Councillor Julie Carr said “We are delighted with this victory for common sense, which confirms the decision handed down in February.

"It is a great shame that NPP are continuing to spend money on fighting this through the courts instead of on the repairs that are needed to re-open the beach.

“Another summer is now here, and the people of Newhaven still cannot enjoy the use of their beach.

“I appeal to NPP to accept the ruling of the court now and sit down and talk to the town council about how we can get the beach open for this summer without compromising port operations or the safety of the public.”