A SENIOR Thanet council officer has admitted he may have unintentionally misled people over the existence of an alternative entrance to Margate Caves – which he said could be used if the tourist attraction reopened.

The admission comes after weeks of wrangling over the future of the caves prompted by the council's determination to sell the site for housing.

Workers sealed the main entrance to the caves with concrete last month on Thanet council's instructions after it claimed the work was essential to prevent vandals and drug users getting into the caves.

Supporters of the caves, who have formed a Friends of Margate Caves group, complained that the work made it almost impossible to consider reopening the caves as an attraction.

Heritage adviser to the council Nick Dermott told the Isle of Thanet Gazette that the alternative entrance may have been back-filled just after the Second World War.

In February the council's head of major developments, Doug Brown, said that a second entrance – known as Forster's Entrance – could be used instead.

Thanet council this week admitted that the precise location of Forster's Entrance is 'unknown' and 'no-one knows what condition it is in'.

Mr Brown told the Isle of Thanet Gazette on Wednesday that he had meant to imply that a new entrance could be created in the area where Forster's Entrance had been. He added: "It was a case of loose words maybe, but honest intent."

Last week senior Conservative councillor Simon Moores met with The Friends of Margate Caves group to discuss whether the site could be reopened.

Mr Brown said the Friends had been asked to put forward a business plan for running the caves as an attraction. He said: "They are a very organised and effective group with some very business- minded people involved so I look forward to seeing what their plans are."

Questions have also been raised over the cost of reopening the caves.

In previous statements Thanet council has said it could cost £100,000 to make the site safe for public access, and used this amount to defend their decision to close the caves.

Following a Freedom of Information request, Mr Brown has admitted that the sum of £100,000 was an estimate based on his 'colleagues' opinions'.

The last official report on the caves, in 2005, found the cost of the works would actually be in the region of £55,000.

Sarah Vickery, from the Friends group, said: "There's been a lot of misinformation about the caves generated by TDC over the years, but we hope that now we have uncovered the council's own 2005 estimate for repair we can all move forward and work with the facts, rather than rumour and exaggeration."

Conservation group English Heritage has confirmed that it is considering a request by the Friends to have the caves listed as a national monument, which will mean inspectors visiting the caves.

A spokesman for Thanet council said English Heritage would be allowed access to the caves, adding: "Access for English Heritage is possible, provided they have clearance from the Health and Safety Executive to do so and have all the necessary indemnities."