PLANS to build a new teaching and research centre at the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) in Brookmans Park will now be considered by a senior Government minister.

The RVC’s application was rubber�-stamped by Welwyn Hatfield Council’s planning control committee on Thursday.

But because the facility is earmarked for Green Belt land, it must go before Communities Secretary John Denham for final approval.

The new centre, which would be built on the RVC’s Hawkshead Lane campus, would incorporate laboratories, offices, tissue culture rooms and meeting rooms, as well as a museum, toilets, a cafe and a reception area.

Speaking at last week’s planning meeting, principal development control officer Lisa Hughes said the council had received a number of representations from neighbours of the college.

She said: “The main issue from neighbours is in relation to traffic and problems with parking on Hawkshead Lane.

“No additional staff or students will come to the college as a result of this development. For this application, there is no additional traffic to be generated.”

Subject to Mr Denham’s approval, construction is anticipated to begin in March 2010.