ALL 27 residents of a private York nursing home, which closed attracting criticism from a top city councillor, will move into a luxurious new two-storey home on Thursday.

The £3.2 million 80-bed nursing and residential home, Amarna House, in Ouseacres, off Boroughbridge Road, Acomb, was opened for public inspection today.

Then the 27 residents of Knavesmire Nursing Home, in The Green, Acomb, will be shown to their new rooms. At first, there will be 40 staff, but later the number of new jobs could rise to 100.

Operator Southern Cross Healthcare was criticised after it announced the closure of Knavesmire Nursing Home last December.

At the time Councillor Sue Galloway, who is City of York Council's social services chief, described the decision as "really bad news, not only for residents and their families, but also for the city as a whole".

But today Joan Clark, marketing liaison manager for Doncaster-based Southern Cross Healthcare, said: "It was always the plan that every one of the 27 would move into the new building. The families I have spoken to have been more than delighted with the quality of accommodation."

She said the ground was now being cleared on the former Tenneco site in Clifton for an even bigger project, an 81-bed nursing and residential home on three storeys, costing about £3.5 million, attracting another 100 jobs and providing a huge net gain in beds for the elderly.

Amarna House and the new, as yet un-named project in Clifton, are among ten new homes planned by Southern Cross Healthcare at a total cost of about £30 million

With growth and acquisition - it took over the Trinity Care Group in 2002 - it now operates 360 homes and employs 25,000 staff across England, Scotland and Wales.

Armana House consists of four separate, self-contained 20-bed wings. There are hoist systems in many bedrooms and bathrooms, plus air conditioned lounges.

Updated: 09:58 Saturday, March 04, 2006