During London 2012, the sport of equestrian will take place in a temporary arena in Greenwich Park, which will be taken down after the Games and therefore leave no physical legacy.

However, the BEF received £750,000 ($1.2 million/€847,000) from Sport England in 2009 to spend on legacy projects - with £250,000 ($410,500/€282,000) set to go on the new centre and another £250,000 ($410,500/€282,000) put aside for the Ebony Horse Club in Brixton's new riding centre.

The rest of the money will fund smaller BEF Olympic legacy projects.

David Gadsby of the BEF's Olympic legacy project stated the planning permission must still be granted on the new £1.6 million ($2.6 million/€1.8 million) centre but said it will be a vital facility for future generations.

"Hadlow College will provide the expertise while Greenwich Council and the BEF will create the hard facilities," he said.

Greenwich Council has applied to build the facility on council-owned land at Shooters Hill on the Greenwich and Bexley Bborough borders, with permission being sought for an indoor and outdoor arena, horsewalker and 20 stables.

It would be run by Hadlow College, based in Tonbridge, and open to students in September 2012, offering equestrian training from BHS stages to degree courses.

"It will be 95 per cent equestrian use," added Gadsby.

"People can get their first experience of riding, then follow that up as a career."

The project is joint-funded by Hadlow College, Greenwich Council, the Olympic Development Authority (ODA), London 2012, the London Mayor's Fund and the £250,000 ($410,500/€282,000) grant from the BEF.

Councillor Chris Roberts, the leader of Greenwich Council, said: "This will introduce thousands of London children to the thrill of horse riding and provide future educational opportunities."

The site was used as a horsebox park, or equestrian staging post, during the equestrian test event and is likely to be used in a similar way for the Games.

A London 2012 spokesperson added: "It will be a brilliant facility."

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]