The mother of an Olympic dressage hopeful wants to build her daughter an indoor riding arena in the Cotswolds to help get her to the top.

Sophie Morgan is currently competing in the sport for Great Britain’s junior squad, and there is an “urgent need” for her to practice in an Olympic-sized area in Chedworth, a planning document said.

Ms Morgan has recently come ninth in two of the junior competitions at Hickstead International.

Her mother, Sally Morgan, has applied to Cotswold District Council to build the 60m by 20m arena on land at Cherry Orchard and a decision will be made tomorrow.

But council officers have recommended the development is refused as the arena would have “a considerable visual impact in local views” and “would not contribute to the rural economy”.

In March, the district council’s landscape officer was against the size of the arena and asked for it to be scaled down.

But the applicant claimed in a planning document the authority considers a 60m by 20m nuilding to be an industrial-sized arena building.

They added they cannot reduce the dimensions as the “competitions her daughter is training for takes place on a 60m by 20m”.

The planning document said: “The riding arena surface size will be 60m by 20m, which is the standard Olympic dressage arena size.

“The Applicant’s daughter, Sophie Morgan, is now competing for Great Britain and therefore requires to practice on an Olympic-sized arena.

“She needs to practice all year round, and that is not possible with just an outdoor arena given the British weather and hours of daylight. Sophie has recently come 9th in two of the junior competitions at Hickstead International.”

The arena would be built next to barn stables and an outdoor sand arena, already approved and constructed.

Explaining reasons for refusal, a council document said: “Overall, officers consider that the proposed scale, massing and design of the proposed building would not respect the character and appearance of the Cotswold area of outstanding natural beauty.

“The arena would have a considerable visual impact in local views and the impact of lighting would also be perceived from the wider context.

“The proposal would be for private use and would not contribute to the rural economy with the exception of the employment of supporting services and therefore provides very little public benefit that would not outweigh the harm that would be caused to the AONB.”