Dunham Care Unveils £550m Care Home Development Pipeline Across England

Key Points

• Dunham Care, owned by the McGoff Group, has outlined a development pipeline worth approximately £550 million, covering secured and prospective projects across England through to 2029.
• The company is expanding its residential, nursing, dementia and respite care facilities.
• Its next planned opening is Bowdon Manor in Cheshire, a 51-bedroom care home being developed on the former Mercure Hotel site.
• Morley Hall in Congleton, Cheshire, will provide 70 bedrooms and is expected to open in autumn 2027. The wider development, delivered in partnership with McCarthy Stone, will also include 53 retirement apartments and 14 family townhouses.
• Further opportunities are being progressed or considered in Canterbury, Coxheath, Witham, Childwall, Harlow, Nantwich, Stourport, Wilmslow, Northwich, Chelmsford, Rayleigh and Macclesfield.
• Its first operational property, Herne Bay Manor in Kent, opened in March 2026. The 67-bedroom home provides residential, nursing, dementia and respite care alongside 50 independent living retirement bungalows.
• Herne Bay Manor achieved more than one-third occupancy within its first six months, according to the company.
• Dunham Care builds on the experience of New Care, the previous care home business founded and led by chief executive Chris McGoff, which developed and operated 17 homes with more than 1,000 beds before its sale to Lovett Care in 2024.
• The leadership team includes CFO Dave Foran, Business Operations Director Emma James and COO Mike Wilson, who brings more than 25 years of multi-site healthcare leadership experience.
• The McGoff Group’s integrated business structure covers site acquisition, design, planning, construction, care operations and long-term facilities management.
• The group also has funding experience through Hive Capital Advisory, which has arranged more than £600 million to support the delivery of over 80 care homes across the UK.
• Earlier reporting in April 2026 revealed £15 million of investment backing from AJ Bell founder Andy Bell and Fergus Lyons to support Dunham Care’s expansion.

What Does Dunham Care’s £550m Development Pipeline Mean for the UK Care Home Sector?

Dunham Care has outlined a development pipeline worth approximately £550 million, setting out plans to expand its care home operations across England through to 2029. The McGoff Group-owned business is progressing a combination of secured and prospective developments, with projects spanning the North West and Southern England. Its expansion programme includes new residential, nursing and dementia care facilities, alongside developments incorporating retirement apartments and family housing. According to Stephen Hall’s report in Care Home Professional, the company’s next planned opening is Bowdon Manor in Cheshire, a 51-bedroom property, while its 70-bedroom Morley Hall development in Congleton is expected to open in autumn 2027. The programme builds on the company’s first operational property, Herne Bay Manor in Kent, and the previous experience of its chief executive, Chris McGoff, in establishing and operating New Care.

The £550 million figure represents the development value of the overall pipeline rather than completed investment or an amount already spent on construction. The projects are at different stages of planning and development, meaning their delivery will take place over several years.

The announcement highlights Dunham Care’s intention to establish a broader presence in the UK care market by combining its operational experience with the development, construction and property management capabilities available across the McGoff Group.

The programme also comes amid continuing demand for care accommodation designed to meet the requirements of older people, their families and healthcare professionals.

Why Is Dunham Care Expanding Its Care Home Operations Across England?

Dunham Care’s expansion strategy is based on the combination of demographic demand, previous experience in the care sector and the McGoff Group’s ability to manage different stages of property development.

In its corporate announcement, published by Care Home Magazine on 14 October 2026, Dunham Care explained that its approach is intended to bring together care provision, thoughtful property design and construction expertise.

The company highlighted the needs of an ageing UK population and increasing demand for high-quality residential, nursing and specialist dementia care. It also emphasised that modern care environments need to support residents’ wellbeing while providing suitable working conditions for care professionals.

Chris McGoff, chief executive of Dunham Care, said:

“The demand for high quality care homes across the UK continues to grow, but for us this is about more than simply meeting that demand.”

He added that residents should have welcoming and comfortable places to live, while families should feel reassured about the safety and quality of care provided to their relatives.

McGoff also highlighted the importance of providing care teams with suitable environments and facilities to perform their responsibilities effectively.

The company’s approach also reflects the importance of Healthcare Management in coordinating care delivery, clinical responsibilities, workforce requirements and residential healthcare facilities.

Which Care Homes Are Included in Dunham Care’s £550m Development Pipeline?

The development programme includes several named projects, with additional potential locations being considered across England.

According to Stephen Hall’s reporting in Care Home Professional, the confirmed developments include Bowdon Manor and Morley Hall, while the company is also assessing further opportunities in several towns and cities.

When Will Bowdon Manor Care Home Open in Cheshire?

Bowdon Manor is the next major opening identified in Dunham Care’s expansion programme.

The planned 51-bedroom care home is being developed on the former Mercure Hotel site in Cheshire. It forms part of a wider intergenerational development intended to bring different age groups and residential requirements together within one community.

Care Home Professional reported on 30 October 2026 that the home was scheduled to open later in the year.

Care Home Magazine provided a more specific indication of the timetable, reporting that Bowdon Manor was expected to open in November 2026.

The development represents an important stage in Dunham Care’s growth because it will be the company’s second operational care home following Herne Bay Manor.

What Facilities Will Be Included in Morley Hall, Congleton?

Morley Hall is another significant project within the £550 million pipeline.

The planned care home will provide 70 bedrooms in Congleton, Cheshire, as part of a wider development being delivered in partnership with McCarthy Stone.

The overall scheme will include:

• A 70-bedroom care home operated by Dunham Care.
• 53 retirement apartments.
• 14 family townhouses.

The development is designed to create a multi-generational residential community, bringing together older residents, families and people requiring different levels of accommodation.

Care Home Professional reported that Morley Hall is expected to open in autumn 2027.

Care Home Magazine provided further detail, identifying October 2027 as the anticipated completion date for the wider scheme.

Which Other Locations Are Being Considered for New Care Homes?

Beyond Bowdon Manor and Morley Hall, Dunham Care is progressing further opportunities across several parts of England.

The locations identified in the company’s development pipeline include:

• Canterbury
• Coxheath
• Witham
• Childwall
• Harlow
• Nantwich
• Stourport
• Wilmslow
• Northwich
• Chelmsford
• Rayleigh
• Macclesfield

These locations extend the company’s potential development footprint across the South East, the Midlands and the North West.

Care Home Professional reported that the opportunities are being considered as part of the company’s wider expansion strategy, with projects progressing through different stages towards 2029.

However, the identification of a location within the pipeline does not necessarily mean that a care home has received planning permission, entered construction or secured an opening date.

How Does Herne Bay Manor Demonstrate Dunham Care’s Development Strategy?

Herne Bay Manor in Kent is the first operational property in Dunham Care’s current portfolio and provides an example of the type of residential environment the company intends to develop elsewhere.

The 67-bedroom care home opened in March 2026 and offers four principal forms of care:

• Residential care.
• Nursing care.
• Dementia care.
• Respite care.

The property is also part of a wider retirement community incorporating 50 independent living retirement bungalows.

According to Dunham Care’s announcement reproduced in Care Home Magazine, Herne Bay Manor achieved more than one-third occupancy within its first six months of operation. The company also reported a healthy pipeline of enquiries and strong early engagement with local families.

The property includes communal lounges, landscaped gardens, hospitality-led dining facilities and spaces intended to encourage social interaction.

Dunham Care has described its ambition as creating homes that offer an experience closer to high-quality hospitality accommodation than a conventional institutional care setting.

The company believes that a suitable residential environment can contribute to residents’ everyday experiences, including maintaining relationships, enjoying meals, spending time outdoors and pursuing personal interests.

How Does New Care’s Previous Experience Support the Expansion?

Dunham Care’s development strategy builds on the previous experience of its chief executive, Chris McGoff, who founded and led New Care before establishing the current business.

According to Stephen Hall of Care Home Professional, New Care developed and operated a portfolio of 17 care homes across Cheshire, Merseyside, Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire.

The portfolio contained more than 1,000 beds and had a combined gross development value of approximately £274 million.

New Care was sold to Lovett Care in 2024, marking the end of an earlier period of expansion for the business and providing experience that McGoff is now applying to Dunham Care.

McGoff explained:

“Through New Care, we gained considerable experience in developing and operating care homes, and we’re now applying that knowledge to Dunham Care.”

He also explained that the company’s focus was on creating well-designed homes that meet the requirements of residents, families and care teams while establishing a sustainable business for the long term.

The experience gained through New Care covered several aspects of the care home business, including property development, operational management, commissioning and the delivery of residential services.

Who Is Leading Dunham Care’s £550m Expansion Programme?

Dunham Care’s leadership structure combines experience in finance, healthcare operations, business development and care home commissioning.

What Experience Does CEO Chris McGoff Bring to Dunham Care?

Chris McGoff is the chief executive of Dunham Care and previously founded and led New Care.

His experience includes developing and operating care home properties, building a portfolio of 17 facilities and overseeing the business before its sale to Lovett Care in 2024.

McGoff is responsible for applying this experience to the company’s new development programme.

His public comments have emphasised the importance of combining well-designed residential environments with high-quality care, hospitality and community-focused facilities.

What Is Dave Foran’s Role in the Company’s Financial Strategy?

Dave Foran is Dunham Care’s chief financial officer.

According to Care Home Professional, Foran previously helped raise more than £200 million in capital and supported New Care through its successful sales process.

His experience is relevant to the financial requirements of a development programme involving multiple properties, different construction timelines and long-term operational commitments.

How Does Emma James Support Development and Operations?

Emma James is Dunham Care’s Business Operations Director.

She was closely involved in the opening and commissioning of New Care’s first properties in 2010, giving her experience in the transition from development and construction to operational care delivery.

Her responsibilities and experience are particularly relevant to the mobilisation of new facilities.

Opening a care home involves more than completing construction. Organisations must also establish operational procedures, prepare facilities, coordinate staff and ensure that the property is ready to receive residents.

What Healthcare Experience Does COO Mike Wilson Bring?

Mike Wilson serves as Dunham Care’s chief operating officer.

He is a Registered Nurse with more than 25 years of multi-site healthcare leadership experience.

His background provides an operational and clinical perspective on the requirements of managing care facilities.

The combination of these leadership backgrounds gives Dunham Care experience across several areas required to develop and operate care homes at scale.

The coordination of executive responsibilities, healthcare operations and property development also demonstrates the importance of Management and Leadership in organisations managing complex, multi-site care programmes.

How Is the McGoff Group Supporting Dunham Care’s Development Programme?

One of the distinguishing features of Dunham Care’s expansion strategy is its access to the wider McGoff Group’s integrated business structure.

Rather than relying entirely on external organisations for every stage of development, Dunham Care draws on several businesses within the group to support different elements of the process.

What Role Does McGoff Group Projects Play?

McGoff Group Projects oversees the acquisition, design and planning stages of development.

These activities are important because the suitability of a site can influence the eventual design, construction programme and operational performance of a care home.

By coordinating these activities within the wider group, Dunham Care can draw on property development expertise when progressing its pipeline.

How Does McGoff Construction Support New Care Home Projects?

McGoff Construction is responsible for delivering the building programme.

Its involvement connects the initial development and planning stages with the physical construction of new properties.

The company’s role is particularly relevant to the delivery of Bowdon Manor, Morley Hall and other developments expected to progress through the pipeline.

These responsibilities are closely associated with Constructions and Civil Engineering, particularly in relation to the planning and delivery of specialist residential buildings.

Why Is Facilities Management Important to Dunham Care?

McGoff Group Facilities Services provides long-term asset management support.

This is significant because a care home remains a complex operational property after construction has been completed and residents have moved in.

Its facilities need ongoing attention, including the maintenance of buildings, management of operational spaces and support for the physical environment in which care is delivered.

Dunham Care’s integrated structure is intended to provide greater control over development costs, delivery programmes and the ongoing operation of its properties.

This is particularly relevant to Facilities Management, where the maintenance, safety and effective operation of buildings are essential considerations for organisations managing residential and healthcare facilities.

What Funding Experience Does Hive Capital Advisory Bring?

The McGoff Group also has financial advisory experience through Hive Capital Advisory.

According to the company’s announcement published in Care Home Magazine, Hive Capital Advisory has arranged more than £600 million in funding, supporting the delivery of more than 80 care homes across the UK.

This experience provides additional financial context for the group’s involvement in the care home development market.

Large-scale property programmes require funding arrangements that can support land acquisition, construction and the longer-term financial requirements of operating care facilities.

For organisations involved in similar programmes, Accounting Finance and Budgeting is relevant to understanding capital requirements, project expenditure, financial controls and long-term asset investment.

What Previous Investment Has Supported Dunham Care’s Expansion?

The £550 million development pipeline follows an earlier funding announcement involving the McGoff Group and Dunham Care in April 2026.

In a report published on 29 April 2026, The Care Home Environment reported that the McGoff Group had secured £15 million in investment from AJ Bell founder Andy Bell and former director Fergus Lyons to support the growth of Dunham Care.

The investment was intended primarily to support the development of the new care home business.

The report explained that two additional properties were under construction at the time: a 51-bedroom care home at the former Mercure Hotel site in Bowdon, South Manchester, and a 70-bedroom development in Congleton, Cheshire.

It also reported that a further eight care home settings either had planning consent or were subject to imminent planning applications.

The programme was expected to be delivered over five to seven years, with plans to establish a stronger presence in the South East.

Place North West also reported the £15 million investment on 29 April 2026.

Journalist Julia Hatmaker reported that the investment from Andy Bell and Fergus Lyons would support the Altrincham developer’s growing senior living business.

Chris McGoff described the investment as a vote of confidence in the business, while Andy Bell highlighted the opportunity to support experienced developers of income-generating assets.

The April investment announcement provides additional context for the company’s subsequent £550 million development pipeline announcement in October. However, the £15 million investment and the £550 million pipeline represent different financial measures and should not be treated as equivalent amounts of available funding.

What Does the Development Programme Mean for the Future of the UK Care Home Market?

Dunham Care’s expansion comes at a time when the UK care home sector is responding to demographic changes and evolving expectations surrounding residential and nursing accommodation.

The company’s plans reflect an approach that combines specialist care provision with retirement housing, modern building design and hospitality-related facilities.

Its proposed developments in Cheshire, Kent and other locations across England could contribute additional accommodation to local care markets as individual projects progress.

However, the overall pipeline should be considered in the context of its different development stages.

Some projects have been identified as secured developments, while others remain prospective opportunities. Their eventual delivery will depend on the progress of planning, construction, funding and operational preparations.

The distinction is important when assessing the potential scale of the programme. A development pipeline represents future opportunities and planned activity rather than completed buildings or immediately available care capacity.

The inclusion of 12 additional potential locations also demonstrates the geographical breadth of Dunham Care’s ambitions, although individual schemes will need to progress before their final scale and opening dates can be established.

What Has Dunham Care Said About Its Long-Term Growth Ambitions?

Chris McGoff has emphasised that the company intends to use its previous experience to develop care homes that respond to the needs of residents, families and care professionals.

In the company’s announcement published by Care Home Magazine, McGoff said:

“Today we are applying that experience through Dunham Care.”

He explained that the sector continues to evolve and that expectations surrounding care environments are changing.

McGoff also outlined the company’s ambition to create homes where people genuinely want to live and where families feel confident when choosing care for someone they love.

He added:

“Ultimately, this is about creating lasting value through care.”

He connected this ambition with investment in the quality of the company’s homes, its workforce and the communities surrounding its properties.

These comments reinforce the company’s stated intention to balance business expansion with the quality of its residential environments and care services.

What Are the Main Milestones to Watch in Dunham Care’s Expansion?

The next stages of the programme will provide a clearer indication of how quickly Dunham Care can translate its development ambitions into operational facilities.

Several milestones are particularly relevant:

1. Bowdon Manor opening: The 51-bedroom Cheshire property is scheduled to open in November 2026, according to Care Home Magazine’s reporting.
2. Morley Hall development: The 70-bedroom Congleton care home is expected to open in autumn 2027, with the wider development including 53 retirement apartments and 14 family townhouses.
3. Progress across additional locations: Developments in Canterbury, Coxheath, Witham, Childwall, Harlow, Nantwich, Stourport, Wilmslow, Northwich, Chelmsford, Rayleigh and Macclesfield will need to progress through their respective development stages.
4. Herne Bay Manor’s operational performance: The company’s first home has already achieved more than one-third occupancy within its first six months, providing an early reference point for its operating model.
5. Long-term pipeline delivery: The company intends to progress its secured and prospective schemes through to 2029.

These milestones will help establish the extent to which Dunham Care can deliver its proposed developments while maintaining the operational standards and residential environment outlined by its leadership.

The business enters this next stage with experience from New Care, an established development and construction structure through the McGoff Group, and a leadership team with backgrounds in finance, care operations and healthcare management.

Nevertheless, the final scale of the programme will depend on the progress of individual projects and their transition from development opportunities into completed and operational care homes.

For the UK care home sector, the £550 million pipeline represents a substantial development ambition from a business seeking to combine property expertise with specialist care provision. Its progress through to 2029 will show how effectively Dunham Care can convert that ambition into additional accommodation and long-term operations across England.