Horseracing will return to Great Leighs next season for the first time in seven years.

Chelmsford City Racecourse, formerly known as the Great Leighs Racecourse, had its licence revoked in January 2009 after it went into administration.

It was bought by Great Leighs Estates Limited, a collaboration between Betfred tycoon Fred Done and media partners SIS and Bet Solutions International in December last year.

They are currently overseeing a new £6million grandstand which will hold as many as 3,000 spectators and will include hospitality suites and a betting hall.

This will be built on the foundations of the old complex, removed in January 2011, and it is hoped that the new project will be finished by November this year.

It was announced yesterday that the racecourse has now been given permission to run 12 “start-up” racedays next year by the British Horseracing Authority, the governing and regulatory body for Horseracing, after their application to bid for fixtures was approved in May this year.

Chelmsford City can then apply for further BHA controlled fixtures via the annual fixture allocation process.