A recently launched care home business that aims to create seven eco-friendly developments over the next five years could provide hundreds of social care jobs by the end of its opening strategy.

The Whitton Care Group was recently launched by entrepreneur Billy Morgan, who has previously developed more than 27 sites between the North East and Lincolnshire. Based in Durham, its first project is to develop Stockton's Maple Residential Care home, due to be completed this autumn.

Once finished the 63 bed care home will employ 50 staff in residential support worker jobs and other specialist roles such as physiotherapy jobs. Uniquely, the home will boast an eco-friendly design with features such as an air-source heat pump, rain water harvesting and solar water heating.

According to Morgan, this is just the first development in plan which will see seven similar sites open across the country at an individual cost of around £3m. He says he has already earmarked a site in Doncaster which he hopes to begin work on by the end of this year; when finished, he believes the development will create another 50 supported housing jobs.

"Care homes have become big business again and I was keen to get back involved given my experience in the market," said Mr Morgan. "With the Maple Residential Care Home we aim to create a totally caring environment both in terms of providing the highest levels of care for dementia sufferers and developing a property which meets the latest environmental standards."