The firm is seeking planning permission in principle for a new care home on a gateway site next to the A96.

The new care home is expected to provide dozens of jobs for the area and boost the local supply chain.

The proposal is for a 40-bed, two-storey care home with secure landscaped gardens next to the Eight Acres Hotel. There would be ample parking for staff and visitors and a biomass facility would provide renewable energy.

The care home would comply with the Care Inspectorate’s new 2022 Design Guidelines. These new guidelines significantly raise the bar in a number of areas, including the quality of accommodation for residents, standards for infection control and adaptability of accommodation in the event of future lockdowns.

The new Elgin facility would be Parklands’ sixth Moray care home. It currently has homes in Aberlour, Keith and three in Buckie.

Work could start next year, coinciding with Parklands’ 30th anniversary, once detailed planning consents have been secured.

Ron Taylor, managing director of Parklands, said: “We have been looking at Elgin as a possible location for a new care home for some time. There is certainly very strong demand for a purpose-built, high quality care facility in the town and it seems fitting that we should mark our 30th anniversary by coming back to our Moray roots.

“The project is still in its infancy but assuming we are granted planning consent in principle, we will develop a more detailed plan for the site. It represents a significant investment in local care services by Parklands.”

Parklands is currently building a new 58-bed care home in Inverness which will form part of an integrated care hub for the city, comprising the care home, a later living village and affordable homes for key workers.