PLANS to build a new Welsh headquarters for The Kennel Club at Chepstow Racecourse have been approved by Monmouthshire County Council's planning committee.

A multi-purpose building which would be able to hold around 2,000 people on race days will replace the North Stand, which is set to be demolished.

The Kennel Club plan to use it as a base and for dog shows and training exhibitions.

The proposed structure, which measures at approximately 63m by 24m, will be a single storey with an aluminium curved roof.

It is expected to create two full-time jobs as well as 30 part-time positions at the racecourse.

The joint venture between the Welsh Kennel Club and Arena Racing, owners of the racecourse, is expected to be completed by summer 2017.

A spokesman for the racecourse said that the new venue forms the first phase of site-wide development in order to "re-establish Chepstow as one of the best racecourses in the country".

He added that dog shows, which are expected to generate less traffic, will bring more visitors to Chepstow outside of race days.

Despite not having any objections 'in principle', St Arvans community council still hold concerns about vehicle access to the new site.

The proposed access to the site, for use by the exhibitor's vehicles, has to cross a public footpath in order to access the entrance gates.

The path, which doubles as a cyclepath, is a popular route used by schoolchildren as it runs from St Arvans, past the racecourse and on to Chepstow.

The crossing also falls inside a 50mph zone, with councillors considering that increased traffic could be "potentially quite dangerous".

As part of the application, the racecourse are expected to look into these concerns as part of a comprehensive Traffic Management Plan.

Councillor Phil Murphy advised that conditions be added to the plan to address the concerns of the community council but gave his approval for the new build.

He added: "Clearly a development is going to be beneficial to the racecourse and to the whole area and it's good to see more alternative uses are going to be brought into the site."

Councillor Roger Harris was in agreement, saying: "It's obvious that the community council knows the area extremely well.

"I hope the community council and the developers can get together so that the expertise they have can be put to good use."