High Wycombe’s new driving test centre has been given the green light – a major relief for instructors who have fought against plans to get rid of the old one for months.

It was announced last year that the High Wycombe Driving Test Centre, which was in Wellington Road, was going to be shut down because the Driving Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) said running it was “not a good use of public money”.

This prompted outrage from local driving instructors, the thousands of young people learning to drive in the town and Wycombe MP Steve Baker, who all said it was vitally important the town had a test centre.

After a huge campaign, press coverage and even a mention in the House of Commons, the DVSA reconsidered their plans to remove a test centre from the town completely, instead asking local instructors to find an alternative cheaper site.

The Save Wycombe Driving Test Centre campaign group did exactly that – finding a smaller venue in Cliveden Office Village in Lancaster Road.

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The site was approved for use by the DVSA, but planning permission to change it from an office to a driving test centre had to be sought from Buckinghamshire Council.

Buckinghamshire Council has now given the nod for the site to be used as a driving test centre, meaning learner drivers will be able to take their driving tests in the town after all.

It is a huge victory for campaigners who fought tirelessly to keep the provision in the town.

Hazzy Raja, a driving instructor who runs Hazzy’s Driving School and launched a petition to save the centre that was signed by more than 7,000 people, said the news was “excellent”.

He said: “Some excellent news to share this afternoon. The new Driving Test Centre application has been approved by the council.

“It’s just a case of when DVSA decide to open it now. Well done and congratulations to everyone who was involved in the campaign. We did it! Thank you.”

A spokesman for Wycombe MP Steve Baker said the DVSA still has to process the signing of license agreements before reopening the test booking window, but added that it is a “great step forward that Steve Baker is delighted about”.

The new driving test centre will be at Suite 106, 1 Cliveden Office Village, Lancaster Road, High Wycombe, HP12 3YZ.

Up to three examiners will be employed at the site, each to conduct up to seven tests per day. Up to 126 tests are expected to be held per week, Monday to Saturday.

The new building will be used as office space for examiners to write up reports between tests and to provide space for instructors to wait while candidates head off-site for the examination.

Access to the site will stay on Lancaster Road and three parking spaces will be allocated to the test centre.