Plans for a new temporary mountain bike venue on a 550-acre (223-hectare) site owned by the Salvation Army at Hadleigh Farm, Essex, have been approved.

The course, which will provide seating capacity for 3,000 spectators, was given the go ahead by Castle Point Borough Council last month before receiving the green light from the government. Hadleigh Farm, which will also enable spectators to stand at various points along the route during the Olympic mountain bike competition in 2012, had been mooted as an alternative site.

Weald Country Park had been in line to be selected to host the event before the requirements were changed to demand a more technical and challenging venue. London 2012 organisers will work in partnership with Essex County Council (ECC) and the Salvation Army once the Games are finished in order to explore what parts of the course will be left for legacy use.

ECC cabinet member for the London 2012 Games Stephen Castle said: "It is essentially the starting gun for work to now begin on making the Essex dream a reality - to not only host a world class London 2012 Olympic discipline, but also provide a long lasting, meaningful legacy." London 2012 organising committee chair Sebastian Coe, added: "Led by Essex County Council, the partners for the venue have all contributed a tremendous amount of work to ensure the planning application safeguards Hadleigh's stunning natural environment whilst still testing the skills of the best competitors in the world."