Plans for the £15m redevelopment of Snetterton motor racing circuit in Norfolk have been given the green light by Breckland Council.

MotorSport Vision (MSV), the company which owns the motor sports venue, received approval for the scheme in September three years after first revealing its plans for the circuit. The project is intended to transform Snetterton into a hub of the UK motor racing industry, and includes changes to the layout of the circuit, as well as a new race school, offices, units for race teams, and a hotel with conference and restaurant facilities.

MSV chief executive, Jonathan Palmer, said: "This marks the end of what has been a long process for us in the planning stages, but it was crucially important for us to ensure that this important major development wasn't rushed. "The council looked at the noise management plans that we had put together for the site and it said it was satisfied that it would operate within its limits."

The project will also see the circuit upgraded to FIA Grade 2 specification, which would enable the venue to cater for a wider range of motor sports, including the World Touring Cars Championship and the Le Mans Endurance Series. However, Palmer also told BBC Radio Norfolk at the start of November that, although work had been expected to get underway this winter, the economic climate could delay the scheme for a year.