Plans for the expansion of the Maitland Benevolent Society-owned facility on Regent Street have been lodged with Maitland City Council.

Benhome has a waiting list of more than 100 people, but the ­renovations would provide space for an extra 44 residents.

According to the application, the existing single storey aged care building, the Ribee Wing, would be replaced with a two-storey building that will feature 26 ground-level rooms, including sitting rooms, lounge areas, dining areas and ­utility rooms downstairs.

The upper level will contain 30 rooms, including medical ­consulting spaces, a hairdressing salon and a gym.

There will be internal alterations to buildings at the site such as Pender House, Matron’s Cottage and Dossies Cottage, and a new Men’s Shed will be built.

Maitland Benevolent Society chairman and Maitland councillor Bob Geoghegan said the board had bought a property next to Benhome, that fronted Bonar Street, and would clear the land to build a new car park.

He said an increased number of high-dependency residents, who required more care and extra staff, and the high cost of complying with incoming fire code requirements, had driven the redevelopment.

Cr Geoghegan said the Ribee Wing, to be demolished under the plan, had not housed residents for years because of its narrow ­hallways.

The renovations would mean more nursing jobs, but he would not say exactly how many extra people the new-look Benhome would employ.

“We will be employing ­registered nurses around the clock to cater for resident needs and strengthening our services in ­palliative care,” he said.

“A feature of the redevelopment will be the creation of accommodation for relatives to stay when a ­resident is seriously ill.”

Council is yet to approve the application to redevelop the 147-year-old facility.