© Murphy Philipps 2025
New Copford Place is a proposed new build, 8 bed, dementia wing to the existing care home. It is located in a beautiful woodland setting in Copford, just to the South of Colchester in Essex.
The existing home offers residential care with 27 bedrooms. It is operated by Friends of the Elderly, a charity that own and manage a number of care and extra care facilities across London and the Southeast. However, as residents’ conditions progress, they often need to be moved to facilities with greater clinical support. This can be extremely disruptive, and unsettling for both residents and their relatives.
The proposed new development is a self-contained specialist dementia unit comprising of:
The site is in a sensitive location, part woodland, adjacent to a listed stable and within the curtilage sits the listed building, Copford Hall.
The surrounding buildings are mostly single-storey, except for the existing care home, which features a central two-storey section.
In response, our design required sensitivity in scale, aspect and materials. Through consultation with the Local Authority an acceptable approach was agreed for development as follows:
The new unit provides a secure environment for residents with deteriorating dementia conditions, allowing for greater care and support. Being able to remain on site in familiar surroundings eliminates the need for disruptive relocation to alternative accommodation.
The pleasant, wooded environment provides a therapeutic setting and great opportunities to encourage outdoor activity, improving the well-being and quality of life for residents and visitors.
