.TOWN ‘watchdog’ The Haslemere Society has lodged strong objection to an application by Barfold Farm to remove the restrictions imposed on polo matches and allow occasional charity polo matches to be played.

The owner of the Haslemere estate, businessman Adrian Kirby, founded Cortium Sports and plays polo for the high goal Cortium team.

He got the go-ahead to hold up to 20 competitive matches a year, and to transform a former Admiralty signals station next to the ground into a clubhouse with changing rooms following a planning appeal in August 2013

No competitive matches have been played yet at Barfold Farm. He is now seeking permission is now sought to stage up to two charity polo matches a year, where the number of people attending could exceed 100.

The application proposes Waverley Borough Council will be given “no less than seven days” advance notice of any charity match likely to attract more than 100 spectators and that any charity matches will be limited to two a year out of the total of 20 matches the polo ground has consent for.

Haslemere Society vice-chairman John Greer said: “When granting the appeal, the planning inspector was very clear that for permission for polo activities to be allowed, he required strict conditions to be met. This was in the context of the activities taking place in this specially protected area of outstanding natural beauty (AONB).

“The applicant suggests complying with the inspector’s conditions is too onerous. The society strongly disagrees with this and points out that in the context of organising a programme of matches this is a minor task.”