The Park will be closed for 16 weeks from the middle of May, but the group say that a World Heritage Site is being compromised for television.

"We still want them to see sense and re-locate the events," said NOGOE spokesman Sev D'Souza.

"Now they can see what the true impact is going to be.

"It is disproportional and too high a price to pay just so that the equestrian sport can be at the heart of the Games and to save face with the IOC (International Olympic Committee).

"In a tried and tested venue they would know what to do – but we feel they are doing a lot of experimenting.

"They should not be experimenting with a World Heritage Site.

The Park will be used for the equestrian and modern penthathlon disciplines during next summer's Olympic Games in London but will also stage test events this year.

The equestrian test event is due to take place July 4-6 this year in the Park.

A significant number of accredited personnel will be in attendance and, while it is not designed as a spectator event, a limited number of tickets will be made available to Greenwich residents and the equestrian community.

"We are concerned that LOCOG did not really answer the objections raised by individuals about the risks they are taking," D'Souza said.

"Their plans should have been challenged.

"For example Locog were originally given permission to prune 72 trees and did so.

"Now they have said they need to prune 239 for the test event to provide clearance for construction vehicles."

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


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