UK: The Greater London Authority has drafted a new planning guidance on coliving, which it terms as Large-scale Purpose-built Shared Living (LSPBSL).
The guidance was formed with the help of the Second Generation Shared Living Consortium (SGSLC), a trade group with 120 members. The guidance provides space and facilities benchmarks and practical advice to help ensure LSPBSL developments are designed and managed to be of good quality, safe, inclusive, and integrated into the local neighbourhood.
The GLA says: “LSPBSL is a relatively new type of housing, designed to be an alternative to living in a shared rental house or flat. There is growing market interest in its provision. Londoners have a range of needs, including for different types of housing, with the need for affordable housing particularly great. Planning must help create places that meet different needs and provide opportunities for all. But the balancing act is not easy and so the guidance helps ensure all relevant considerations are accounted for. The housing design standards and policies do not apply to this kind of accommodation. This guidance fills the gap by providing appropriate assessment benchmarks to help pursue design and management quality in a consistent way.”
Some highlights include:
• Encouraging common areas / public spaces that are inclusive, integrate with local communities and add to biodiversity net gain
• Ensuring LSPSBL is designed with the needs of residents and locals in mind
• Promotion of well-being, incidental meetings, group interactions, socialising, lounging, engagement and recreation
• Allowing LSPBSL schemes to be car free and requiring cycle parks
• Providing clarity on private vs common space ratios with baseline criteria on provision of amenities
Jermaine Browne, on behalf of SGSLC, said: “We are thrilled to announce a major win for the coliving sector! Thanks to the collaborative efforts of the Second Generation Shared Living Consortium (SGSLC) and the participation of our 120 dedicated members, the Greater London Authority (GLA) has recognised the need for agility and adaptability in accommodating the evolving lifestyles and needs of co-living residents. The revised guidance promotes a design-led approach, provides greater flexibility with a new sliding scale for internal and external amenity standards based on the scale and context of a building, and even acknowledges that some rooms should be occupied by couples. This shift reflects the GLA’s evolving stance on Shared Living and its commitment to fostering innovation within the sector, which is now widely categorised as an institutional sub-sector of Build To Rent.”
“We extend our heartfelt thanks to all our members for their invaluable contributions to this achievement over the last two years; and in particular to those who helped re:shape evolve the SGSLC from an idea into a reality and played a pivot role in the creation of a comprehensive 400-page evidence-based rebuttal that was undoubtedly a key catalyst for change,” he added.
Matt Lesniak of Conscious Coliving, said: “One of areas we felt were a bit limiting was the labelling of LSPBSL as a transitory product. We are seeing more and more residents ‘come for convenience and stay for community’ for two, three, four years and more. The guidance also only refers to one type of coliving (LSPSBL), whereas there are several other typologies in London and abroad. Room for improvement there. Overall, the planning guidance highlights the potentials for shared living schemes to embed sustainability, community and wellbeing throughout its design and operations. Great guidelines from the GLA!”
The draft guidance can be seen here.
