The basketball venue at the Olympic Park is also being looked at again as the Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell tries to keep costs under control.

 

She said: "We have commissioned [accountants] KPMG to do a report on the equestrian, shooting and basketball venues, looking at whether the Olympic experience and the legacy they will provide represents value for money

 

"When you take the costs for these venues, it seems like a lot of money to a lot of people.

 

"It is a sort of testing-to-destruction to see whether that spending can be justified."

 

The equestrian and shooting venues have been the subject of fierce protests since they were announced.

 

Many Greenwich residents are opposed to equestrian being held there because of the disruption it will cause and fears that it will cause permanent damage to the Park, a former hunting ground which has been owned by the Crown since 1427 making it the oldest Royal Park in the capital and is one of the largest single green spaces in South-East London.

 

They want it moved to Windsor Great Park.

 

It is claimed that it will cost more than £60 million to stage the equestrian events at Greenwich Park, including setting up spectator facilities for 23,000 fans.

 

Shooting groups have been campaigning to have their sport moved away from Woolwich to Bisley or Dartford because they claim it will cost £25 million to stage there and will offer them no long-term legacy as the 7,500-seater facilities will be removed after the Games.

 

Jowell said it was "possible but unlikely" the venues could be scrapped after the review, which is expected to take several months.

 

NBC Television, the American broadcaster for the 2012 Games, has already identified Greenwich Park as one of its iconic venues with its sweeping panaromic views over London

 

The Government is under pressure to keep costs down after the 2012 budget soared to £9.3 billion.

 

A spokesman for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport said it was one of a number of ongoing reviews into efficiency.

 

The 12,000-seater basketball arena in the Olympic Park, which is to host the qualifying rounds, is set to be relocated after the finals, due to be held at the O2 Dome in Greenwich.

 

The Olympic authorities have already had to change certain venues.

 

Fencing was moved to the ExCel centre, while canoeing and the kayak slalom was moved to Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, after fears over high levels of contamination.