Policy H/CO: Co-living

9.79.  National planning policy requires the size, type and tenure of homes needed for different groups in the community, including those who rent their homes, to be assessed and that the results of that assessment be reflected in planning policies. Co-living developments are becoming more popular, and can respond to a need by providing an alternative type of rental accommodation for single-person households to living in self-contained homes, houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) or flat shares. Whilst not currently commonplace in Greater Cambridge, developers are looking to deliver Co-living developments, and therefore the Local Plan needs to be clear how these proposals will be considered.

9.80.  Development of Co-living units will be directed to the most sustainable areas of Greater Cambridge, well connected to active travel routes, public transport links and services; therefore significantly reducing the need for a car. Developments must make everyday living without a car easy by providing active travel facilities and innovative travel solutions. Details of any proposed car parking should be submitted with the planning application with justification of provision. Attention to the safety and inclusiveness of the adjoining public realm through its design and management will also be an important consideration in enabling residents to safely make journeys to and from the development by foot, bicycle or public transport.

9.81.  New proposals should not result in a harmful concentration of Co-living units within an area or place undue pressure on local infrastructure, and should contribute towards creating mixed and inclusive neighbourhoods. Where there are larger concentrations of Co-living developments relative to conventional housing, this type of accommodation may be considered to be ‘crowding out’ conventional housing schemes, and it can also result in the homes within an area being focused on specific groups within the community, rather than a mix of groups, therefore limiting the ability to create mixed and inclusive neighbourhoods that meet a range of needs. Potential adverse impacts from harmful concentrations of Co-living units that should be avoided are: excessive noise and disturbance to residents, levels of on street parking that cannot be reasonably accommodated or regulated, and inadequate storage for refuse/recycling and cycles.

9.82.  Co-living developments are generally of at least 50 units, to allow for the provision of the additional on-site services and facilities. There is currently no clear guidance on the maximum number of units. Given there is a substantial overall housing need in Greater Cambridge, Co-living developments should not compromise the delivery of self-contained homes, and therefore the number of units within a Co-living development must be evidenced by need for this form of development in Greater Cambridge.

9.83.  To avoid harmful concentrations of Co-living units and to support the creation of mixed and balanced communities, proposals should consider including Co-living units as part of a development including a mix of types, tenures and sizes of homes.

9.84.  Co-living developments must be well-designed and provide comfortable and functional internal living spaces and external amenity spaces for their residents. Their design should take into account relevant specifications set out in Part M of Building Regulations, the nationally described residential space standards, and licensing standards for Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs). For example, Part M of Building Regulations provides specific requirements relating to bedrooms, kitchens and bathrooms and the nationally described residential space standards (see Policy H/SS) include specific requirements for the floorspace of bedrooms, both of which can be applied to Co-living developments. Additionally, as Co-living developments have a similar format to HMOs in that they have communal areas such as kitchens, proposals should also consider the minimum size standards related to internal communal areas such as kitchens set out in licensing standards for HMOs (see Policy H/MO).

9.85.  Between 2024 and 2045, our evidence projects an increase in the number of people with mobility problems, impaired mobility and wheelchair users. Although our evidence highlights that this need will be greater within the older population, there is still a need within the younger population. Requiring 5% of units within a Co-living development to be accessible and useable by a resident with a wheelchair will ensure that these developments will meet the needs of those with a variety of mobility issues, including wheelchair users, and is consistent with Policy H/SS.

9.86.  Co-living developments are not considered child suitable accommodation, and therefore should only be occupied by over 18s. Tenancies should be for single person occupancy.

9.87.  A financial contribution for the provision of affordable housing will be sought from Co-living developments in line with the requirements set out in Policy H/AH. Co-living developments must also meet the requirements of other policies within the Local Plan, such as the policies for open space (Policy BG/EO), design (Policy GP/QD), and sustainable design and construction (Policy CC/SD).

9.88.  Management of Co-living developments (preferably by a single management company or operator), with an appropriate level of on-site daily management, will minimise any community risks arising from the development, and ensure that schemes are well-integrated into the community. Management arrangements should ensure that Co-living developments do not effectively operate as a hotel or a hostel.

9.89.  A Management Plan showing how the whole development will be managed and maintained must be produced and submitted with the planning application, and the agreed Management Plan should be secured through a Section 106 agreement. The Management Plan should include, but not be limited to, detailed information on long term management and maintenance arrangements, such as:

a.  Measures in place to manage any issues arising that could impact on amenity in the surrounding area;
b.  Security and fire safety procedures;
c.  Move in and move out arrangements;
d.  How all internal and external areas of the development will be maintained;
e.  How communal spaces and private units will be cleaned and how linen changing services will operate;
f.  How deliveries for servicing the development and residents’ deliveries will be managed;
g.  How access to innovative travel solutions (such as car clubs and shared mobility schemes) will be managed and operated;
h.  How refuse will be collected, including management of any underground waste provision; and
i.  Tenancies, including that sub-letting is not permitted.

9.90.  Buildings should embed inclusive design at all scales, and be designed and managed in a way that lowers barriers to social interaction and encourages engagement between people, such as:

• Ensuring all communal spaces and circulation routes are fully accessible, and ensuring seating, workspaces, kitchens and lounges are inclusive;
• Using clear design strategies to counteract the sense of internal enclosure within circulation areas, by providing generous entrances and lobbies, maximising natural light into corridors, creating views to the outside wherever possible but particularly at key circulation and landing points (for example lift lobbies), and integrating moments of pause (for example window seats, niches, widened landings) to encourage chance encounters;
• Clustering everyday essential uses together (including laundry rooms) to create naturally active social hubs, positioned close to main circulation routes, rather than in dispersed locations around the building;
• Provide a range of incidental meeting spaces that help to balance private and social living and offer quieter or smaller spaces for individuals/pairs of residents, or small groups;
• Communal kitchen spaces should be designed for social interaction, accommodating multiple dining opportunities, and integrating lounge space, external spaces and potential spin off activity rooms;
• Amenity spaces should be of a size, diversity, location and quality that actively encourages their use, community engagement and personal safety;
• Providing toilet facilities next to key communal spaces to support both residents and their guests when away from their private rooms; and
• Where appropriate, entrance lobbies, co-working spaces, and public amenities such as restaurants and bars should encourage use by the surrounding local community as well as the internal community.

9.91.  Co-living developments respond to a housing need, and like HMOs or flat shares will be the main or only residence for some people. Any Co-living developments will contribute towards meeting our housing requirement on a pro-rata basis, in line with the ratio for other communal accommodation set out within the Housing Delivery Test rulebook (which is currently 1.9 units to one dwelling).

9.92.  Planning applications for Co-living developments should include the following information to enable the acceptability of the proposal to be assessed:

a.  Evidence demonstrating local need for a Co-living development, including identifying the target groups which the development aims to attract and the scale of the potential need arising from these groups, and how the proposed development would meet the needs of these target groups including by its affordability;
b.  Private unit sizes and locations, with internal floorplans for private units clearly identifying activity zones and storage solutions;
c.  Clear identification of which private units are designed to be accessible and useable by those with limited mobility and / or who use a wheelchair;
d.  Clear identification of communal internal and external spaces, including which are only for use by the Co-living residents, and which are semi-public or public and can be used by non-residents of the Co-living development;
e.  Size and distance calculations that demonstrate how the kitchen and dining facilities
are sufficient and appropriately located; and
f.  Calculations that demonstrate how the facilities are sufficient for the intended number of users, including residents’ visitors.

For further guidance on how to submit comments, please see the Representation Guidance Note.

All comments must be received by 25 September 2026 at 5pm.