AN Oxfordshire polo school is set to move to a new site of its own and build new facilities for its members.

Oxford Polo, which has been based at Kirtlington Park Polo Club since 2011, has had its plans approved by Cherwell District Council.

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The school will move from a leased stable a few hundred metres to a new site to the north of Weston-on-the-Green, in Akeman Street to keep and train polo ponies.

Two buildings to the east of the site will be built to provide stabling for 36 ponies and storage space for feed, tack and equipment.

An all-weather horse arena area, schooling area and exercise track will allow for training all year round.

David Ashby, founder of Oxford Polo, spoke at the planning committee meeting last Thursday, outlining the benefits of the new site.

He said: “Polo has a real heritage in the area and if this application were to be granted I’m passionate about adding to that local heritage and strengthening the local community so we can improve the seasonal nature of the sport, so that local businesses such as farriers vets, feed merchants as well as local pubs, restaurants and accommodation providers can benefit from the local polo community staying over all year round.

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“We’ve been renting stables at Kirtlington Park Polo Club since we started but by moving just a mile east on Akeman Street to our own site we can invest in these facilities that will provide a better service to our clients, welfare to our horses and help retain valued members of staff that often have to seek employment elsewhere as we can’t offer them work in the winter."

Oxford Polo's new grounds will provide a base for keeping ponies in-between competing and training during the summer months and accommodation and paddocks for over-wintering.

The equine site will also allow training of younger ponies to take place and will not accommodate competitions, but will provide training for school children.

David added: “Since opening the business Oxford Polo 11 years ago I’ve been working very closely with neighbouring Kirtlington Park Polo Club which was founded 96 years ago.

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“I’m keen to open the sport of polo to all those available creating a beautiful biodiverse equine farm and planting trees and hedges which I hope will settle the equine farm into a local landscape similar to the adjacent Kirtlington Park and local stud farms."

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