A DUNFERMLINE care home that "must routinely turn away potential residents" because it's full up is set to be extended.

Barchester Healthcare, the company that owns Canmore Lodge, have applied to Fife Council for permission to add a further nine bedrooms to the Robertson Road property.

The "high-quality alterations" at the east wing of the home will also increase the size of the dayroom area and provide a new bathroom, lounge and store.

Similar plans had been approved previously but the three-year permission expired in March 2019.

Their planning agent said: "Canmore Lodge is now operating at 100 per cent capacity with all 68 bedrooms fully occupied and, as a result, the home must routinely turn away potential residents.

"Therefore, we now wish to apply for the further bedrooms which form this application so we can better serve the community and needs of the local area."

The agent said the alterations, which would also see additional parking spaces, aim to "increase the quality of space per resident to provide a better standard of living".

Canmore Lodge opened in 1994 and offers care and support to older people, including those living with dementia and physical disabilities.

It was inspected by the Care Inspectorate last year and was awarded an 'Excellent' rating.

In May, it was named one of the top 20 care homes in Scotland. The award was from carehome.co.uk, an online care home directory, and was based on more than 160,000 reviews from residents, their family and friends, between March 2019 and February 2020.