New state-of-the-art medical centre and 540 new homes planned for Soham

Plans for 540 new homes, a state-of-the art medical centre and a pre-school nursery on the edge of Soham are set to be decided by councillors later this month.

Developer This Land, which is owned by Cambridgeshire County Council, wants to build the homes on the eastern edge of Soham, between the Qua Fen and East Fen Commons and the A142, what is know as the Soham Eastern Gateway.

The East Cambridgeshire Local Plan, which was adopted in 2015, outlines the district council’s plan to improve the infrastructure of Soham, with new community facilities, homes and job opportunities. Soham Eastern Gateway is in the plan as a site allocated for development.

According to This Land, the popular existing commons and allotments on the western boundary of the site would remain untouched and the proposed development would provide 11 new play and recreational areas.

There would be around 15 acres of public open spaces, including a new corridor between Qua Fen Common and East Fen Common, and more than 130 new trees.

A new safe pedestrian route across the A142 would be created to provide access to acres of fenland and public rights of way.

The new development would provide more than 130 jobs during construction works and a further 87 associated full-time jobs.

The development plan also includes space allocated to a new neighbourhood centre, which would house a new pre-school nursery and new Staploe medical centre double the size of the town’s existing practice, with 27 consulting rooms.

Access to the new centre would be via the A142, in addition to the existing Brewhouse Lane access, in a bid to ease congestion in the town centre.

“Soham has already grown considerably and the district council has outlined plans to ensure that residents of the town continue to enjoy living in a town that provides the facilities that the community deserves,” said David Meek, chief executive of This Land.

“Creating sustainable communities is our priority and we are looking forward to being able to provide Soham with even more green spaces, much-needed facilities and high-quality new homes.”

Louisa Wood, chief operating officer at Mereside Medical, who has worked with This Land to prepare and submit the joint planning application for the new centre, added: “To continue to meet the needs of our existing patients and expand to provide a wider range of healthcare services, Mereside Medical has submitted joint planning permission with This Land for a new medical centre that is double the size of our existing practice.

“Soham Eastern Gateway is the only location in Soham that is central and large enough to accommodate the new state-of-the-art building and enable us to offer more face-to-face appointments, improved patient facilities and a wide range of much-needed community services.”