New build
Signature Hornchurch: ‘Rest and renewal’ for a new generation
Signature Lifestyle’s new 87 bed home in Essex was the first of three similarly designed parallel projects to be completed, with a fresh wellbeing focus. TCHE editor Mary-Louise Clews spoke to those involved in designing and running the home to find out more.
The idea at the heart of the creation of Signature Hornchurch is that a care home can be luxurious and still feel connected to both the local landscape and community it inhabits. According to the lead architect Mark
Walker of PRP, the ambition was not only to create a high-specification home for residents, but to make a building that belongs in and can become a part of the local neighbourhood. Mr Walker said Hornchurch was the first
of three similarly sized Signature projects to be completed, with schemes in Enfield and Surbiton receiving consent around the same time (with both set to open this autumn). He noted that a typical project can take four to five years from early design through planning, technical design and construction, and praised Signature’s ability
to progress the three schemes in parallel while maintaining quality.
From manor house to carpark – and back again. The site was most recently a car park serving the neighbouring college that became available after the college reorganised its campus, giving Signature a development opportunity aligned with its research showing a local need for more care provision. General manager Catherine Komuhangi
said the build took nearly two years from breaking ground to completion, with the first resident moving into the home in early summer. Mr Walker describes the route from site
opportunity to finished building. Before a project moves into design, an operator
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www.thecarehomeenvironment.com November 2026
needs to work out if the site fits its model as well as establishing local care need. For Signature homes, local visibility, transport links and access for families and staff are all important. Once these boxes have been ticked, PRP then undertake an early capacity study to test whether a viable care home can fit, before progressing through design, planning, tender and construction stages. At Hornchurch, the early design work
showed the value of having the confidence and experience to challenge early proposals, he said. An initial layout meant the “entrance wasn’t very visible from the street, and the gardens were quite small,” leading to a rework of the plans to make the entrance more visible and legible, and to free up space for larger gardens. The result, Mr Walker added, was a stronger arrival, more generous amenity space and a building better attuned
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