Despite two petitions objecting to the proposals to move the Huntingdon site from the Oxmoor to Hinchingbrooke, councillors gave the redesign the nod with just a 60 per cent majority.

At a meeting of Huntingdonshire District Council's full council, 24 members approved the £38 million scheme and 16 opposed it, meaning planning permission is granted.

The plans – which will also see the St Neots campus moved to the old open air swimming pool site – have now been sent to the Government for the East of England (Go East) for approval and a response is expected by the end of this month.

After three years of planning, Principal Anne Constantine is delighted the redevelopment has got this far.

She said: "It's been a long process. It will be a modern, well equipped college, with new facilities and new opportunities.

"It will be an exciting place to go and it will encourage people to take up learning when possibly they wouldn't have before."

Concerns over the plans were surrounding the move of the Huntingdon campus from the Oxmoor estate and its replacement with houses.

Traffic issues over siting it on Hinchingbrooke Road, which already houses the police headquarters, Hinchingbrooke Hospital and Hinchingbrooke School, were also raised.

Mrs Constantine said: "Although we are moving a little further away from the Oxmoor, it's not a long way and still within reasonable travelling distance.

"We are certainly concerned about the residents of Oxmoor and will be making sure they gain, not lose, from the new college.

"The new college will be in a place that is much easier to get to for the whole of Huntingdonshire, as we do serve the whole of the district, not just Huntingdon.

"Most of our students will be using public transport, so it's not going to put more cars on the road. We will have a green travel plan and be very strong on encouraging green travel."

The Huntingdon campus will have 220 car parking spaces, a Multi-Use Games Area (Muga) and an adult football pitch.

Cllr Jeff Dutton, district councillor for the Oxmoor, said: "The old college is past its sell-by date and it's in a bit of a state. It would need massive funding to bring it fit for purpose.

"If the college moves into a brand new area there will more public transport and cycle routes. Those opposing it say it is taking the heart out of Oxmoor, but it was never the heart of Oxmoor, it was for the whole region.

"I think they are not seeing past the end of their noses. They will have a brand new college, state of the art. I think when it is built, people will see what they are missing."