ONE of the county's top tourist destinations has been found to contribute almost £90m to the economy each year.

Blenheim Palace's huge financial boost to Oxfordshire was revealed as part of a survey by Oxford Brookes University, as part of a commitment by the Oxfordshire estate to triple its economic impact within 10 years.

The survey also found the World Heritage Site near Woodstock, the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill, provides more than 4,900 jobs – 527 of which are either directly employed by Blenheim or via its in-house caterers Searcys.

The new report forms part of a radical 10-year plan devised by the team at the palace, now led by chief executive officer Dominic Hare which maps out the estate’s priorities going forward.

Mr Hare said: "We have created an ambitious 10-year plan which underpins everything we are doing at Blenheim and involves everyone and every area of the estate.

"One of the key goals is a commitment to triple our contribution to the local economy and the work carried out by Oxford Brookes will be invaluable in both measuring our achievements and also making informed choices about the positive impact of our businesses on the local area.

"Other targets include housing 300 families in truly affordable homes, becoming one of the UK’s top 100 employers, training more than 100 apprentices, becoming a net generator of green energy, increasing paying visitor numbers to 750,000 and doubling our charitable contributions."

Blenheim's housing proposals have proved controversial, with some in Woodstock saying they are not a suitable addition to the area.

The Oxford Brookes survey looked at every aspect of the estate, including visitor business, conferences and hospitality, construction and property, farming and game, in-house catering, industrial, mineral water and renewable energy trusts.

The university will repeat the report every year to gauge progress.

Other findings revealed the estate spends £17m annually with UK suppliers and more than a third is spent within a 20-mile radius of Blenheim Palace.

The estate has a target of attracting 750,000 visitors each year – up from 600,000 at the moment – which would take its total local spend to £23m.

Almost 14 per cent of visitors stay in the area for more than a day and contribute an average of £336 to the local economy through accommodation, food and drink, transport and gifts.

Mr Hare added: "We are working hard to do more than ever for our local communities, and this economic impact survey is the first step to measuring how well we are doing on our journey.

"We are proud to be part of the local communities and invest in the economic, social and cultural life of those who share it for generations to come."