August 13 saw an important date for residents of Soham, as plans for hundreds of new homes were approved by East Cambridgeshire District Council.

Despite desperate calls from some Soham residents to abandon the plans, the council approved them at an Extraordinary Planning meeting held with the intention of making a decision on the application which has been years in the making.

More than 200 objections were formally lodged against the plans for 540 new homes, including one from Soham Town Council. Objectors feared the impact that the mass development, which includes plans for a new healthcare facility and a neighbourhood centre, would threaten the existing Commons nearby.

The future of the Commons, a green space in Soham, was mentioned several times in the meeting by Soham Town councillors Hamish Ross and Alec Jones.

Cllr Ross said: "The Wildlife Trust agrees that the development will pose a significant risk to the Soham Commons and the wildlife there."

Cllr Ross also raised his concerns about, "noise, disturbance and loss of privacy" that may come from the development, as well as "the loss of existing views" for properties living near the land.

The land where the homes are set to be built sits west of the A142 between East Fen Common and Qua Fen Common, and east of Brewhouse Lane in Soham.

A new roundabout is set to be built to create a new public access road, which one councillor said could "save lives" on the busy stretch of the A142.

Traffic in Brewhouse Lane was also a cause for concern that recurred several times in the meeting. Cllr Alan Sharp was also concerned about the lack of bus services that would run through the site.

Members heard that although there were concerns about the environmental impact and traffic in the development, there was a "need" for an improved medical centre in the area.

Louisa Woods, who represented Mereside Medical at the meeting, said that the Soham Eastern Gateway development is "the only solution".

Mereside Medical run Staploe Medical Centre, the neighbouring medical centre to the development. Ms Woods said that Staploe Medical Centre currently cares for 24,000 patients in a building which is designed to care for 13,000. 

She said that a "growing population" will require a better medical centre and said that Soham Eastern Gateway will provide a "fit for purpose" building.

While councillors discussed whether to approve the 540 new homes, they said that the medical centre, shops and promise of new employment will "benefit the Soham community".

In a final vote, seven East Cambridgeshire District Councillors voted to approve the plans, while two voted against it.