A new 80-bed care home could be built on land in Burwell as East Cambridgeshire has been identified an area “in greatest need” due to a “significant shortfall” of beds across the county.

The site in Slade Farm has been earmarked for the complex, which if approved, would see work get underway in July 2019.

It comes as Cambridgeshire County Council say up to five new care homes could be built across the county as “lack of capacity is placing significant financial pressure on council budgets”.

The shortfall is made up of 25 residential dementia beds and 125 nursing beds for residential and dementia care.

A report states: “A review of current capacity and demand has indicated that the council holds a current shortfall in the Cambridgeshire care homes market of 150 affordable, council commissioned beds.

“In East Cambridgeshire, where the need for more beds is greatest, the average weekly cost of spot nursing placements has increased by 34 per cent since 2016/17, while the average weekly cost of spot residential and residential dementia placements has increased by 42 per cent and 19 per cent respectively across the same period.

“It is anticipated that the site at Burwell will provide a minimum of 1/3 affordable and 2/3 self-funder places, with the potential for 50 per cent affordable.

“The model for the home is likely to be 80 beds, therefore between 27 and 40 beds will be affordable.

“There is currently a significant shortfall in capacity within East Cambridgeshire for nursing and nursing dementia placements and it is likely that the first site could provide up to 40 nursing placements of the 125 total required in Cambridgeshire.”

Beds for residential dementia care in South Cambridgeshire and nursing dementia in Huntingdonshire are also under scrutiny.

Bosses say there is “an impact on limited choice and affordability for people needing care, and creates pressures in the broader system, for example with delayed transfers of care (DTOC)”.

The procurement process for the care home project will be discussed at the commercial and investment committee at Shire Hall next Thursday (November 23).

The report adds: “The purpose of taking this forward is to provide greater choice and affordability for services that are aimed at supporting the most vulnerable residents of Cambridgeshire.”