A VILLAGE’S new community hub, which will also see 13 affordable homes built for local people, is beginning to take shape.

The Community Hub, on the site of Melbourn’s old police station in the High Street, is due to open early next year. It will provide a café, library facilities and meeting room, while the Parish Council’s office will be located there. The site will also include new two and three bedroom houses, many of which will be made available to people from the village.

Representatives from South Cambridgeshire District Council, Melbourn Parish Council, and the scheme contractors and consultants visited the site recently to inspect the progress.

Jose Hales, Melbourn district councillor and a member of the village’s parish council, said: “These are exciting times for Melbourn and I’m very proud to be associated with this small and sustainable development.

“I am extremely pleased that this development has taken place. The style and layout of the site complements the High Street scene. It has been agreed that the 13 houses on the development will be allocated to Melbourn residents first, this is extremely good news for those families waiting for homes in our community.

“Coming with the homes is the much needed Community Hub building that will offer some employment and volunteering opportunities, it will also house amongst others, the village library and a community café.”

The hub has been funded by Melbourn parish council, while the housing will be made available through the Hundred Houses Society.

Cllr Mark Howell, South Cambridgeshire District Council’s cabinet member for Housing, said: “This is a really important scheme for the village as it will deliver a central hub for the community as well as much needed high quality affordable homes. We have a fantastic track record of working with housing associations to deliver facilities and I am looking forward to seeing local families moving into these properties at the turn of the year.”

To find out about the paid employment and volunteering opportunities available at the hub, visit www.melbournhub.com.