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THE LONDON Olympic Board has failed to endorse a plan to hold the Games's equestrian events in Greenwich Park, despite widespread expectations that they would do so.
Olympic sources had previously said that a meeting of the board would "rubber-stamp" the use of the park, which would involve its partial closure for 10 months and the installation of a four-mile cross-country course, as there had been a favourable verdict from a review by accountants KPMG, commissioned to examine whether the park offered value for money.
However, a source at the meeting said: "No decisions were made. People wanted more time to consider the issue."
The delay is a blow to London 2012 organiser Locog, which has attempted to play down public opposition to the venue and claimed that it is a "done deal". A spokesman for London 2012 confirmed that "no decisions were made" about Greenwich at the meeting.
The provisional conclusion of the KPMG report is understood to back Greenwich, saying that moving the horse events elsewhere would be more expensive. However, the Mayor, Boris Johnson, a member of the board, is understood to be concerned that the venue offers no permanent legacy and may cause significant damage to the park, one of only four Unesco World Heritage sites in London.
A plan published by Olympic organisers shows the cross-country course running by, or directly through, the park's most precious trees, an avenue of 350-year-old sweet chestnuts planted by Charles II.
Olympic organisers have said no trees will be cut down but admitted that some will be "pruned".
The course also cuts right through the park's popular flower garden.
The delay has encouraged opponents. "It is very good news," said Michael Goldman, of the pressure group No to Greenwich Olympic Equestrian Events.
"The KPMG terms of reference only covered the cost and legacy issues and did not include the enormous risk of environmental damage to the park."
A spokesman for London 2012 said the Olympic board would consider the KPMG report at its meeting next month.
Reader views (8)
What about using Windsor, or is that not historical enough?? Or even Hainault country park at the end of the central line, just 6 miles from stratford
- Johnw, Peterborough, Cambs, 19/11/2008 10:09
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We Americans (I am predominately British decent)have so little true OLD history, that I covet what you do have that I have never seen! I feel that doing ANY damage to trees and facilities with such history is close to criminal. I am also an equine person having had a breeding farm, etc. for many years. Can't the equine events me moved into the countryside outside of London? I realize that there are a lot of dynamics to designing the courses, arenas, etc. that I am ignorant of, but it seems to be that it would be much more feasible to do something along those lines. I have been planning a visit to England, and hope to combine it with seeing some of the equine events. I will continue to watch the progression for the location of the events. Thanks!!
- Marti Perry, Custer, USA, 16/11/2008 21:35
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Hallelujah! This plan is an unmitigated disaster for one of London's most beautiful parks. The flower garden is lovely and having horse ridden through the middle of it ain't going to help neither will hacking chunks off some of the ancient trees. Why can't someone see sense and hold the event at a a purpose built facility rather than trying to shoehorn a 4 mile equestrian course into Greenwich Park?
- Mcw, London, 03/11/2008 09:04
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China held its equestrian events in Hong Kong a couple of thousand miles away.
Why cannot our Games take its equestrian events to Badminton or Burleigh only a short distance out of the Capital?
- Charles, Stanmore. London, 31/10/2008 16:59
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At last the Board are applying common sense to the misguided decision to hold this event in a World Heritage Site without proper assessments. The original decision was taken without any cost benefit analysis of the Park or other venues. It was based on proximity to the Olympic village, the desire to promote urban riding, the need for a temporary venue, and an iconic location for the sponsors.
The course for the bid was drawn to the wrong scale; the revised cross country plan will be very tight for horse and spectator movements. More importantly it is difficult to see how some trees will not have to be cut down or moved; and it will be damaging to the grass and the whole ecology and archaeology of the Park. Concerns have been expressed by David Starkey and Simon Jenkins, among others. Yet LOCOG have not produced an Environmental Impact Assessment three years since winning the bid. They say that no damage was done in the Hong Kong course but the comparisons are incongruous and misleading. Neither are their statements about closures reassuring. In a letter LOCOG stated that talk of closures for months was inaccurate; now their latest presentation confirms that the arena will be constructed from April 2012, which means 7 months closure of the most popular part of the Park, depriving ordinary people access to the part that is close to the town and public transport.
It is better for the Board to lose face now than go down in history as the people who trashed Greenwich Park.
- S D'Souza, London, UK, 31/10/2008 16:19
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Totally agree with Cerriden !
- Emma, Greenwich, 31/10/2008 16:13
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Hands - or rather, Hooves, Off Our Park.
I'm sure there is plenty of wasteland around the Thames basin which could be turned into a permanent equestrian course, which would being trade to its neighbourhood and could continue to be useful after the Olympics.
Why spend money messing up Greenwich Park and then more money trying to fix it again? Not to mention exacerbating the already difficult traffic situation. Seems like a no-brainer...
- Cerriden, greenwich, 31/10/2008 15:18
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A sudden outbreak of common sense. Let's hope it's contagious.
- Bloke, London, 31/10/2008 14:20
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