Hadleigh Castle which will provide the picturesque back drop for the 5km course
Plans for an Olympic mountain biking site that could see 40,000 spectators flock to Hadleigh in 2012 have been approved by Castle Point Borough Council.
Councillors unanimously voted through the proposals on Tuesday evening in a Development Control meeting at the council chamber.
A 5km track running throughout Hadleigh Castle Country Park has been agreed pending final approval from central government.
The site will host a practice event in the summer of 2011 before hosting the Olympic mountain biking on the weekend of the 11-12 August 2012.
The main objections raised by locals were against planned widening of both Chapel Lane and Castle Lane.
Residents feared that hedgerows could be damaged while being relocated and that the low level of traffic on the road did not warrant such improvements.
Councillors eventually backed the widening that will see the top of each road widened to six metres to improve access to the site.
Developers hope to begin construction of the course as early as next month with completion aimed at March 2011.
The course will be a looped design with a start/finish point as well as a 2m diameter concrete or plastic pipe allowing cyclists to cross under and over each other on the course.
The venue has already been approved as being technically compliant and meeting the requirements for the Games by British Cycling, the International Cycling Union, the International Olympic Committee and the British Olympic Association.
Three main grandstands and two regular stands will be erected especially for the event with the ability to hold thousands of spectators.
Parking will not be allowed near the site on the Olympic weekend and three specialist ‘park & ride’ sites have been highlighted to ferry spectators to and from the event.
County Councillor, Stephen Castle, said: “This is a significant milestone in the delivery of Essex's Olympic venue.
"We thank Hadleigh residents and businesses for their contributions to shaping the final plan."