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An eco-warrior will appear in court today fighting moves by the council to evict him from his allotment commune home.

Hilaire Purbrick, 45, has lived on the allotments in Whitehawk Hill, Brighton, for 16 years.

But now Brighton and Hove City Council wants Mr Purbrick and four others who live in the commune off the land.

It is seeking a possession order from the courts for one of the allotment plots which forms part of the commune.

The particular plot has a two metre deep cave which Mr Purbrick dug and used as a meditation space, which has now been deemed “unsafe” by East Sussex Fire and Rescue.

Mr Purbrick said: “The cave has been checked out by the fire brigade and has been declared unsafe because it doesn't have a fire exit.

“I know lots of people in this town who live in houses with only one door with no fire exit but I'm happy to put a fire exit in the cave, which I think I can do by digging down from the top.

“At the moment there's an interim injunction order on entering the cave so we can't do any of that work.

“We've got a hearing on Thursday at Brighton County Court and I'm going to be asking the judge to lift the interim injunction so that we can do the necessary work on the cave to make it safe.”

As well as the possession order for the cave plot, the council is also seeking an injunction for the entire commune to be kicked off the allotments.

This will be heard on March 16 again at Brighton County Court.

The council argues Mr Purbrick and other dwellers are taking up at least two plots which would be enough to provide space for 20 families to grow vegetables.

But Mr Purbrick syas he has improved the area by transforming derelict plots into a virtually self-sufficient community.

It is not the first time the council has tried to force Mr Purbrick and the commune from the land.

In May 2000 he moved from the land he had occupied since 1993 after an eviction order was granted following complaints that he kept chickens and bees.

But he returned to his shed in July that year and has since rebuilt a thriving community, despite the council’s repeated attempts to ban him from the allotments.