Officials on the board in charge of health and social care in the city are to submit plans for a brand new health hub in south east Edinburgh.

An option to invest between £7m and £10m in a new health facility is one of the proposals included in plans agreed at the most recent meeting of Edinburgh’s Integration Joint Board (EIJB).

The proposed 1,700 sqm facility would accommodate a GP practice with space for a community treatment mental health hub and locality community services.

The population of the south east of Edinburgh is predicted to expand over the next decade, with 200 new homes a year being built in the Gilmerton area – one of the fastest growing in the city – under the council’s 2030 city plan.

To meet the pace of this growth, and the 6,000 additional residents it could bring, EIJB has said it will submit a business case to NHS Lothian to expand GP services.

Increasing capacity within existing practices is also suggested as a way of meeting rising demand.

Chair of the Edinburgh Integration Joint Board Angus McCann said: “Edinburgh’s population has increased by 65,000 people over the last ten years and it's only expected to grow, particularly in the south east.

“This will undoubtedly place greater pressure on those GP services which already serve this part of the city and, while we’ve already worked very hard to increase capacity for new patients, this is an opportunity to look ahead and plan for the long-term.

“In line with our strategic plan for improving health and social care in the city, this report outlines our ambitions for keeping pace with growth on the south side of the city and what we believe is a real opportunity for us to consider a modern facility which is fit for the future.

“It’s an approach we will continue to take across the board, as we proactively plan for population growth so that the most efficient health and social care services are in place.”