CONCERNS about events churning up the two-year-old Valley Gardens park in central Brighton has resulted in a call to “rotate” events elsewhere.

Derek Wright, a volunteer gardener, asked councillors to consider moving annual events to other open spaces so that residents and the Friends of Valley Gardens group could enjoy the area all year.

He wants Brighton and Hove City Council to restrict events to purpose-built hard surfaces such as the St Peter’s Church area which is due to be used for the upcoming Christmas market.

Mr Wright asked if the council would change its policy of including the hire charges in its general budget and instead plough fees back into the area where events were held.

He also called on the council’s tourism, equalities, communities and culture committee to ask for a report into options to give the green space in Valley Gardens “time to recover” after events.

Green councillor Martin Osborne, who co-chairs the committee, said that events helped to fund grass and hard surfaces during the first two phases of the Valley Gardens makeover.

Cllr Osborne said that fewer events were taking place in the Valley Gardens area and that this would help the grass to recover.

He said: “We do need to be balanced in our approach. Although we can’t guarantee we won’t be discontinuing, we won’t just have our events on hard surfaces. We will have them on the grass area.

“I hope there is reassurance there that we are trying to relocate events to give as much time as possible for Valley Gardens and for residents to enjoy the wonderful scheme.”

Cllr Osborne said that the fees from events on council-owned land would be counted as part of the council’s broader revenue income.

But event producers were charged for “undue wear and tear” on public spaces and were expected to pay the council’s Cityparks service directly for any repair costs.