More sections of the Madeira Terraces have been closed to the public this week after new structural problems were discovered.
Fencing went up on Thursday preventing access to the walkway above the Jag Gallery in Madeira Drive.
And Brighton and Hove News understands that artists working in the studios beneath have been told they may have to leave within days because of structural issues.
“A council spokesperson said: “Work has been ongoing for some time to address structural issues affecting the Madeira Terraces.
“Our most recent structural survey uncovered issues with the Jag Gallery building.
“We are in regular contact with the tenant as we explore the implications of these structural issues.
“As a precautionary measure we have put up safety barriers to prevent public access to the affected area.”
Ken Frost, a company director with an interest in a nearby seafront business, said: “New barricades have been put up to stop people walking along yet another part of the decaying crumbling seafront, just above Jag and associated galleries.
“The east side of pier seafront is being allowed to rot, crumbling structures, empty buildings and rusting green railings. Skidrow On Sea is a more appropriate name.”
Parts of the Grade II listed structure were first closed off in December 2013.
The council says the problems relate to the corrosion of internal supporting beams and bolted connections within the concrete infill deck.
The concrete therefore needs to be carefully removed without disturbing the brittle cast iron. Any work needs to be approved by English Heritage.
But in April, the collapse of the Fortune of War arches and the subsequent closure of the A259 for nine months refocused attention on repairs west of the pier.
Last month, the council was given £9m by the government to rebuild the arches under the A259 and the old shelter hall.
However, it’s estimated the total cost of seafront repairs is £100m.
again it’s a case of massive underfunding by the Council and years of neglect of their own properties. The West Pier was a perfect example. This Council is hell bent on rampant commercialism along all its seafront at the expense of its residents so they let the seafront rot. The residents don’t need 350 metre tall tower on the beach front but well looked after beach walkways for all to enjoy. If little old Eastbourne can do it why can’t Brighton??
Tragic how successive administrations have let our basic infrastructure rot. The greens are no different despite their hollow claims to protect the environment. Lol
Blaming a minority Green administration in the middle of unprecedented government austerity for decades of maladministration and infrastructural neglect of successive majority Labour and Tory Councils is a bit rich don’t you think…
Leaving the i360 viewing tower out of it (as it totally privately funded via a central government loan that Brighton council will get £1million per annum interest payments from) the idea that the council would demolish the Brighton centre to extend Churchill Square shopping to the seafront and spend £450 million doing this and building a new conference centre down at Black rock whilst Madeira Drive Terraces and The Brighton Hippodrome crumbles and decays like the West Pier is as ludicrous as the length of this sentence!!! Thank goodness the council is changing!