Balhousie Care Group has revealed ambitious expansion plans as it announced it is moving to new headquarters in Perth.
The company which is headed by entrepreneur Tony Banks and has more than 800 staff said it planned to almost double its capacity to 1,400 beds in 2012 as new homes in Dundee, Arbroath and Huntly open.
A proposal to create a £14m urban care community consisting of two care homes, a number of assisted care apartments and residential property on the banks of the Tay at Perth are also being advanced with permissions being sought from Perth and Kinross Council.
The company operates 22 care homes and made a pre-tax profit of £1.6m last year on an £18.3m turnover. It was founded in 1991 with the purchase of the Lisden home in Kirriemuir, and the administrative side of the business was run from that property until 2006.
Balhousie’s management team then moved to their current home at Little Causeway in Forfar, and a second head office building was later established in the town as the company continued to grow.
A search for new premises that could accommodate the whole team was unsuccessful and the decision was taken to move to new offices at Earn House at Broxden Business Park in Perth.
Around 27 staff will move initially and the building will allow for a planned expansion that will see around 40 new senior roles created over the next five years.
Mr Banks said: ”The decision to leave Forfar was not an easy one but Balhousie Care Group has now grown to such a size we had to look for new premises that could accommodate all of our head office staff under one roof, as well as giving us space to grow further.”
He added: ”We looked locally but there were no suitable premises so we decided Perth would be the ideal central location for our planned expansion into central Scotland, as well as offering excellent transport links.
”The new office allows us to merge the two head offices into a single headquarters that incorporates bespoke training facilities for our staff, and reflects the profile and size of Balhousie Care Group as the largest independent operator of care homes in the country.
”We will be sad to bid farewell to the town and people of Forfar, which has been home to Balhousie Care Group for many years, but the move signals the start of even bigger things for us as a company and we are looking forward to being part of the business community in Perth.”
Perthshire Chamber of Commerce chief executive Vicki Unite said: ”We are delighted that Balhousie Care Group has chosen Perth as the location of their new headquarters.
”Accessibility and transport links to the central belt and across the country serve to make Perth a most attractive location for companies keen to establish a base in Scotland.”