Brighton council applies to evict vans on the seafront

Brighton and Hove City Council will today apply to the County Court for possession of the land at the Black Rock car park.

If successful, officials will be able to evict those who have been living in vans at the site for more than a year.

It comes ahead of Brighton Speed Trials, which is due to take place at Madeira Drive this weekend.

A council spokesperson said: “There is a County Court hearing on Friday 3 September for possession of the land at the Black Rock car park.

“This would enable us to evict the group of van dwellers so that development work can go ahead.

“We needed to take action before the end of this week because of the Speed Trails event this Sunday.”

Plans approved in June last year detailed a major £12 million makeover which featured a new entrance to the site, intended to make it easier for people to come and go from the Asda car park at Brighton Marina on foot and by bike.

There are also proposal to improve biodiversity and accessibility the area, restore the Temple and Grade-II listed Old Reading Room and expand the sea wall.

A new public toilet and a “pump bike track” are also set to be built.

Labour MP for Brighton Kemptown, Lloyd Russell Moyle, said: “During lockdown, people were pushing for the people to be moved.

“We shouldn’t be evicting people if they do not need to be moved on.

“But equally, if the space is needed for development then it’s reasonable and sensible to require them to move, that is what the law is for.”

The Brighton Speed Trials – considered the oldest motoring event in the world – has been running on Madeira Drive since 1905 after resident Sir Harry Preston convinced the town council to tarmac the road for motoring events.

It was one of the first times tarmac had been used around the world.

For the first time in many years, motorcycles will not be part of the trials after the road failed a safety inspection.

According to organisers, this was due to the grip on the new, two-way cycle lane.