How much do you think the city of Ely has changed over the years?

From fond farewells to familiar sites to projections that could see its population increase rapidly, East Cambridgeshire is slowly transforming, with empty fields in the north east earmarked for housing and business developments.

At the time of the 2015 Local Plan, proposals indicated that wider East Cambridgeshire could welcome more than 10,000 news homes and 6,000 new jobs over the next decade, and that Ely and neighbouring parishes would house several developments.

Fast forward almost a decade and several planning applications submitted to East Cambridgeshire District Council over the last six months could, if approved, transform Ely this year and beyond.

Brewhouse Lane, Soham

Lodged on February 7, developers are seeking to demolish Staploe Medical Centre, pharmacy and 59 Brewhouse Lane to make way for a 1,948 square-metre health care facility and car park.

Utilising existing access on to Brewhouse Lane, the new facility is operated by Mereside Medical and will be twice as large as the current building allowing more than double the capacity for face-to-face consultations and staff.

Broad Piece, Soham

East Cambridgeshire District Council agreed the application for 175 new homes on land off Broad Piece in November last year.

Offering nine-self build plots, the homes will range from one to five bedrooms, with 53 planned to be offered as affordable housing.

Saxon Business Park, Littleport

Approved towards the end of November last year, East Cambridgeshire District Council gave the green light for the development of 397 homes on land north of Saxon Business Park.

Full planning permission was requested for 180 of the homes, with outline permission to build the remaining 217 homes. Further details will need to be submitted to the council for approval before building can begin.

Newmarket Road, Burwell

Forming part of two phases of a wider development project comprising 350 homes, the district council approved plans for 271 homes on the edge of Burwell after the developer agreed to reduce the number of properties from its original submission.