Surfers are trying to have a beach declared a village green.

Dozens of watersports fans have backed their application in an attempt to protect the beach immediately east of Brighton Marina, one of the best surfing spots in the South East.

The move follows a campaign by surfers to stop plans for a four-storey block of offices, flats and cafés to be built on top of 186 concrete piles driven into part of the beach. That proposal was withdrawn by developers last month.

The surfers want to protect the beach permanently by securing village green status for it. This safeguards areas regularly used by the community for leisure pursuits.

If they succeed, it would be the first area in Brighton and Hove to achieve the status since it became a city in 2000 although there is one other village green already – in Rottingdean.

It is also believed to be the first bid for a village green for surfing. Sports like football and cricket are more commonly involved.

Surfer Ben Farwagi, who is leading the bid, said: “To our knowledge this is the first such application in the UK and probably the world. It would grant us full access rights to the area and protect it for future generations.”

Steve Darch, owner of Filf surf shop in Rottingdean, said: “On a busy weekend hundreds of people surf there. It is something Brighton and Hove really needs to protect.

“Surfing has never really been recognised by the city despite the number of people doing it. It draws a lot of visitors but we have none of the facilities other places like Cornwall or Devon do.”

To secure village green status applicants have to prove land has been used by a “significant number of inhabitants” for lawful sports and pastimes for at least 20 years.

Nicola Hodgson, a lawyer for the Open Spaces Society, said the bid was the first of its kind she had heard about.

She said: “The important thing will be to show it is used by people from within the community.”

Brighton and Hove City Council will make a decision in the next few months.

Councillor David Smith, whose ward includes the marina, said: “I’d like to see the beach protected and the village green application is a good idea in principle.

Whether it fits the criteria in this case remains to be seen.

It will be complicated because the Crown Estate owns part of the land.”

To support the plan, visit www.hurricaneforce12.com.