Climate campaigners who set up a camp at a disused school are facing eviction.

East Sussex County Council is seeking a court order to regain possession of the land at the former St Anne’s School in Rotten Row, Lewes.

Activists set up the climate camp last month to highlight environmental issues and claimed squatter’s rights on the land.

The council said it has “no choice” but to try to evict the group through the courts.

Sean Nolan, the council’s director of corporate resources said: “We had hoped the protesters would honour their initial promise to leave within a week but that has not happened.

“We have been as patient as possible but understandably we are now beginning to get complaints about the camp from near neighbours. At some point we have to protect our property on behalf of the council tax payer. That is as true for a local authority as it would be for a private citizen whose back garden had been invaded.”

Campaigners had said they discovered the school building was due to be demolished and the land sold.

However Mr Nolan said there are no current plans to demolish the building or sell the site.

He said there was concern about the structural safety of the building, including damaged asbestos that they say has become unstable.

It said they are prepared to look for a community use for the site until the property market recovers and they can sell the land.

Mr Nolan said: “The site is surplus to requirements and we have a duty to all council tax payers to get the best deal we can. However, because of the depressed nature of the property market we have no immediate plans to sell the land.

The eviction hearing will be held at Brighton County Court on Tuesday.