Olympics organisers will give out free tickets for this summer’s test events to Greenwich people.

Controversy dogged plans to use Greenwich Park as a venue for 2012’s equestrian and modern pentathlon competitions but preparations for July’s test events are now well underway.

Olympic organisers Locog have announced the equestrian test event will take place from July 4 to July 6, with 5,000 spectators expected for the cross country, featuring a course half the length of 2012’s.

Two thousand more spectators will be packed into a smaller, temporary arena for the show-jumping and dressage stages.

That competition, which may include some Olympic riders, has been especially organised for the test event.

But on July 9 and July 10, the show-jumping stage of the modern pentathlon’s World Cup final will also be staged in the arena.

Venue manager Jeremy Edwards, currently working on his fifth Olympics, said: “For me, being from Australia, I'm here working in a facility that older than my own country.

“This for me is far more than a horse show. This is the greatest show on earth.”

Organisers will be evaluating the arena construction - built on top of a temporary ‘deck’ - scoring technologies and flows of people.

Locog says a “significant proportion” of tickets will be allocated to residents through Greenwich Council.

Construction will take place from May 16, with 40 lorry movements per day, but organisers say only The Avenue and Blackheath Avenue roads will close.

Park closures are expected from June 20 to July 11 but the flower gardens and western side of the park will remain open.

News Shopper: The 2012 arena, seen here, will be larger than the test event's Timetable of work

Mid May - Work will begin on the temporary arena and training areas in the north east of the Park - to the south of the Queen’s House and Sammy Ofer Wing. Security and site fencing will be in place.

June 1 to June 20 - The arena, field of play, training areas and stabling will reach an advanced stage. An operational compound to the south of the park will be established. A strip of the Great Cross Avenue will be used to prepare and install cross country jumps.

From June 20 to July 3 - Event facilities will be completed. Compounds will be extended to allow for the arrival of horse boxes to park and safely set up for the duration of the event. Cross country jumps will be installed. Another section of the park, to the south east of the temporary arena, will be needed for the modern pentathlon course to be installed.

July 1 to July 5 - Apart from the children’s playground and the flower garden most of the park to the east of Blackheath Avenue and The Avenue will be in use. A cordoned off Horse Route will also be in operation to the west of The Avenue, to allow the horses to move to and from the stabling and training areas to the cross country start and finish safely.

July 5 onwards - Jumps will be dismantled. Large parts of the park will re-open at the end of the Modern Pentathlon test event from July 11. The arena will be dismantled from July 9 and it will take between four and six weeks.

Once the test event is over the removal of all temporary structures will begin. Peak-time vehicular access through the park will be restored and large vehicle movements will be restricted to out of peak hours.