Work on a new £4.5million care home in Grantown is to start next month.
Parklands Group, which owns seven homes in Moray and the Highlands, has appointed Aberdeen-based CHAP Construction to build the 40-bed facility.
The home, which is the company’s largest investment to date, is expected to open in spring 2018, creating up to 70 part-time jobs in the Highland town.
Parklands managing director Ron Taylor said: “This will be a care home of the highest quality, combining modern architectural designs with the sensitive use of local construction materials to create a building in keeping with its location in the heart of the Cairngorms National Park.
“This is our largest ever investment and, when it opens next year, it will provide Grantown with its first purpose built care home for generations, delivering state of the art care facilities, a luxury living environment for residents, and a welcome jobs boost for the town.”
Parklands is also spending £1million expanding two of its existing homes in Muir of Ord and Tain, with the work due to be complete in July.
Discussions between the company and Highland Council on a revised planning application for a new home in Fortrose are continuing.
Mr Taylor said the its proposals would be presented to the community at a public drop-in session in the town shortly.
He added: “We remain committed to Fortrose and the Black Isle and have been overwhelmed by the strong support we have received from the local community.”