HOVE Plinth is just months away from showcasing art on the seafront.

Work has started on the plinth - Hove’s own version of the Trafalgar Square’s Fourth plinth - which will host sculptures and art installations on rotation.

It comes after a hard-fought campaign by the Hove Civic Society to install and raise money for the plinth, which will sit on the Hove seafront promenade King’s Esplanade at the south end of Grand Avenue.

Fences have been erected around the site and work has started on the foundations of the plinth.

Project director Karin Janzon said she was delighted work had started on the plinth.

She said: “It’s fantastic. We are very excited that we finally got to this stage.

“We have started preparation of the ground, and this week we will see a bit of the core of the plinth rising from the ground.”

The first sculpture to take residency on the plinth will be Constellation by Jonathan Wright.

The design is based on a model of the solar system in which elements representing planets are replaced with historic, present day and future features of Hove, including a seagull, beach hut and windmill.

Work on the plinth is due to finish in April, before a big public launch ceremony.

Ms Janzon added: “It will be a big public launch and we will invite everyone to come inApril.

“The plan is for the mayor to unveil and inaugarate the plinth, and we hope to have live music, speeches and lots of surprises.

“I hope Hove Plinth will delight, inspire and surprise residents and tourists, and will add a bit of interest to the seafront promenade. I’m sure it will be a talking point.”

The concept of Hove Plinth was first imagined in 2012 by the civic society, which encourages high standards of architecture and planning and conversation in the Hove, after being inspired by the Fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square, London.

A fundraising campaign then followed the society successfully raising thousands of pounds from crowdfunding, The Arts Council, and a whole host of sponsors.

The plan is for the artwork to rotate on the plinth every 18 months after which some will be moved to permanent sites, creating a lasting legacy of public art in the city.

The Hove Plinth will be unveiled at a ceremony on April 21 at 2pm.