The news came as members of Aberdeenshire Council's Social Work and Housing Committee heard details about the style of the proposed replacement home.

The committee agreed the key principles which promise a dementia-friendly environmental design, specialist facilities for older people with dementia, or other cognitive impairment and an optimum size of around 60 places, each to operate in 'households' of about 12 bedrooms with en-suite facilities.

Each 12-room unit will have separate dining and lounge facilities. In addition, dedicated respite facilities will be offered where possible, to enhance the support of carers, and, anticipating future needs of the older population, the staffing model has been revised to ensure the high standards of care and support expected in the 21st century, including 24-hour nursing care when required.

Future care homes are expected to provide for a more complex range of chronic health and social care needs than in the past. The blueprint is expected to underpin the council's care home services throughout Aberdeenshire, with greatly improved standards of accommodation and facilities reflecting long-term aspirations for improving care of very frail older people, including those with dementia and other life-limiting conditions.

A project steering group, made up of representatives from organisations including NHS, Alzheimer Scotland and trade unions is currently concluding a detailed business case, built around the blueprint, which will undergo wide consultation later this year.

The replacement for Blythewood is likely to offer about one third of places to people with dementia or other forms of significant cognitive impairment while remaining places would provide care for people with complex and chronic long term health conditions who require 24-hour care and support and this could be on a permanent basis, for short periods of respite or rehabilitation after illness.

The care home model will be developed in close collaboration with older people who may require its services in the future, as well as existing residents and carers, their family and friends and the community at large.

The new care home will provide pleasant, safe, enabling and user friendly surroundings where an appropriate skill mix of experienced staff can provide high quality care to promote individual well being, choice and quality of life, without the need for individuals to move as their care needs increase, except where hospitalisation is required.

Chairman of the Social Work and Housing Committee, councillor Gurudeo Saluja said: "We do have a very large responsibility and face quite a challenge in future in terms of caring for our increasingly elderly population, so this move to further enhance the care we offer has to be welcomed.

"We are keen to develop our care homes on this exciting model, and look forward to developing it further and rolling it out."

Westhill and District councillor Ron McKail said: "This new home will be a state-of-the-art residential home suitable for the 21st century. I'm just very pleased this is happening and we should be delighted."

The council's other care homes, were all considered in the original review in 2004, and in due course, each of them, including Westbank at Oldmeldrum, will be replaced or upgraded on the final blueprint, in relation to the style of accommodation and the staffing model, whilst still meeting the needs of the local community.

Residents, carers, staff and local communities will be informed regularly and involved in the council's care developments plans, as the programme moves forward.