Beach hut owners in Brighton and Hove are facing rent rises before next summer.

Plans to increase charges for beach huts and chalets are going before the city council's planning committee next week.

The rent for a chalet in Hove is recommended to rise from £450 to £540 a year - an increase of 20 per cent.

Beach huts at Madeira Drive, Brighton, would rise by 35 per cent from £270 to £365, while in Saltdean and Rottingdean rents would rise from £230 to £310.

The committee will also be asked at Thursday's meeting to approve a 20 per cent rise in the ground rent for beach huts on Hove promenade from £150 to £180 a year.

Unlike chalets, huts are owned by their users. If agreed, the increases will bring another £20,000 a year into the cash-strapped council's coffers.

Brighton and Hove environment director Jenny Rowlands said raising prices would bring the council into line with neighbouring local authorities.

Other resorts, such as Eastbourne, Worthing and Bournemouth, charged anything between £200 and £2,200.

People renting the huts seem prepared to pay the increase but are calling for better maintenance in return.

Frederick Davis, 81, of the Park, Rottingdean, has rented his hut on Rottingdean seafront for 20 years.

He said: "It is not an unreasonable charge but it is a bit galling that they have stopped doing much of the basic maintenance."