The new centre, which has been proposed by the organisation that plans and pays for healthcare in the county, will be open all week from 8am to 8pm and offer a walk-in service and appointments.

The proposal is still in its early stages and it is not yet known how much it will cost, where it will be, or exactly what services it will offer.

However, it is hoped the centre, which patients will not have to be registered with to use, will open next year.

The Cambridgeshire Primary Care Trust (PCT) proposal is part of a national initiative to introduce a new clinic in each PCT area in the country.

St Neots was chosen ahead of closest contender Wisbech after the PCT looked at a number of factors including current access to GPs, levels of deprivation and predicted growth in population. The population of St Neots and the surrounding area is expected to see an increase of 5,700 between 2006 and 2021 – the highest in the county.

The trust also considered the town suitable as it has a high proportion of adults in employment and a busy railway station, which they expect to provide high numbers of patients.

St Neots is currently served by three GP practices with 17 full time GPs and 32,472 registered patients. A survey recently conducted estimated that more than 6,000 of those patients were dissatisfied with the current service.

The public will now get a chance to give their views on the location and type of services offered by the clinic during a summer consultation.

The proposal was approved by the PCT's board at a meeting on Wednesday, (March 26), and after the consultation the trust will put the running of the clinic out for tender and hopes to sign a five year contract by the end of the year.