If Argyll and Bute Council gives the state-of-the-art project the green-light Lochside Care Home, in Shandon, will increase the number of bedrooms from 36 to 60.

According to the planning application, submitted by owner William McDonald, the plan is to demolish the home and build a replacement, although co-owner Alan Wright told the Advertiser the plan in reality is to build the bedrooms in various stages over 2,978 square metres.

Mr Wright added: “It’s still being considered by Argyll and Bute Council and it will all depend on what the council have to say.” Mr McDonald and Mr Wright, who run Clearvue Investments, already own the 58-bed Argyle Care Centre in Helenbsurgh, and recently completed the purchase of the Shandon care home.

A statement issued by the Royal Bank of Scotland revealed the owners attracted a loan of nearly £3.5m from the bank to help fund their investment. This enabled Clearvue to secure the jobs of 50 new staff and start planning for the future.

Lochside Care Home, which currently has 32 bedrooms and four shared rooms, with facilities such as palliative care, day care, respite care, and physiotherapy. The application also seeks to increase the number of car parking spaces from the current 10 to 17 spaces with the plans for the whole site expected to be 7,410 square metres.

Helensburgh and Lomond South councillor Ellen Morton said anything which could improve the care of elderly people in the community would be welcome.

She added: “Obviously there is always a need for good building facilities for the elderly and the time investment on quality facilities makes them, one would hope, the best for the people who use them. It is good to see that level of investment for future care.

“There is quite a range of facilities for elderly people in Helensburgh from sheltered housing to the new houses at Clydeview and I think in the time I have been here I have seen the range of facilities and qualities of facilities improve which is very positive.”