Brighton & Hove city council has created 40 new allotment plots on Whitehawk Hill and 60 at neighbouring Craven Vale in response, it says, to growing demand for allotments in the city.

But local environmental campaigner David Bangs is unhappy about the move. He said: “Statutory local nature reserves have to be managed to conserve their wildlife value. Given the total clearance of all the existing vegetation on this site, which was known to hold large populations of Great Green Bush-cricket, Dunnock, Whitethroat and Blackcap, as well as occasional Dartford Warbler, it is plain that the extant wildlife assemblage has suffered traumatically.”

Mr Bangs is the ex-chair of the Friends of Whitehawk Hill and has published a book on the area titled ‘Whitehawk Hill: where the surf meets the turf’. He believes other areas in the city are more suitable for allotments.

He said: “I think particularly of Hangleton Bottom, which was till recent times managed for horticulture, and is on better soils than the Whitehawk Hill ground. I think also of ground at Ovingdean old village, and elsewhere.”

A spokesman for the council said that consultation was carried out with local residents including Brighton & Hove Allotment Federation, Brighton & Hove Food Partnership, Brighton & Hove Archaeological Society and Whitehawk Community Food Project, as well as the council ecologist.

The council has also introduced sheep grazing to Whitehawk Hill for the first time in many years.