Great Leighs, the first new British racecourse to be built in 81 years, is to open on 4 April after receiving the green light from the British Horseracing Authority (BHA).

The £23m-plus site is based north of Chelmsford, Essex, and features an all-weather track, which will be used for floodlit night races.

John Holmes said: “It has been a long, hard journey but naturally I am delighted at today’s decision. I would like to thank the BHA for their encouragement, advice and support, which has been unflagging.

“One must not expect a ‘grand opening;’ this is a completely new destination where safety will take precedence. We see April 4 as a ‘soft opening’ and if we can achieve the headline ‘Great Leighs goes off without a hitch’ that will be a triumph. We have a further eight fixtures in April, upon which we can build.

This will give both us and our operators – Arena Leisure plc, Sodexo Prestige and Stan James Bookmakers - a steer towards our two-day fixture on May 28-29, by which time our public grandstand and hospitality facilities will be fully operational.

“April 4 is the culmination of one dream and the start of another. We believe that Great Leighs will play an important role on the international stage of horse racing, as well as providing mid Essex with a destination that will benefit many facets of the local economy.”