Last month, our Managing Director of Care, Julie Doherty, had the pleasure of attending the Christie & Co Care Market Review 2025 launch event. The annual review is always a highlight in the care property calendar — a great opportunity to reconnect with colleagues across the sector, exchange insights, and stay up to date with the latest trends shaping the care home market.
This year’s findings particularly resonated with us at Muller Property Group, as they closely reflect the challenges and opportunities we’re experiencing across our own care development pipeline.
Here are Julie’s key takeaways from the event:
1. The Planning System Remains Inefficient
Despite a rapidly ageing population and a growing demand for quality care provision, the number of fully consented sites remains restricted. Christie & Co rightly describe the current planning system as “highly complex, protracted, and unpredictable.” This continues to be a significant barrier to delivery — one we’re all too familiar with as we bring forward much-needed care home developments.
2. Where Are the New Recruits?
The Government’s commitment to hiring an additional 300 planning officers is welcome news — in theory. However, once distributed across all local authorities, the impact is likely to be modest. So far, we’ve yet to see any evidence of this additional capacity filtering through to support faster decision-making. Here’s hoping that changes soon.
3. Larger Schemes Delivering Economies of Scale
Rising construction costs are driving the development of larger, more efficient schemes. According to Christie & Co, the average care home size has increased from 66 bedrooms in 2021 to 70 and above. This trend aligns with our own experience — recent planning approvals within our portfolio include homes of 75, 76, and 80 bedrooms, reflecting the push for scale and operational efficiency.
4. Encouraging Signs in Funding
It’s encouraging to see renewed investor confidence across the sector. Christie & Co highlighted growing appetite from funders, developers, and operators — something we’ve also observed. Pension funds remain active, and the return of forward-funding structures is particularly positive for supporting new development.
5. Growing Demand for Senior Living
With people living longer and seeking more lifestyle-led retirement options, senior living developments are evolving into vibrant communal hubs that promote wellbeing and social connection. While the sector has been somewhat subdued, Christie & Co noted that it appears to have reached the bottom of the cycle — with “positive green shoots” now emerging.
A big thank you to Christie & Co for hosting such an informative and engaging event. It’s always inspiring to see the sector come together to discuss how we can collectively deliver the next generation of high-quality care environments.
