Large Scale Shared Living (Co living) – Informal Planning Guidance

Co‑living is often described as a form of purpose‑built or converted residential accommodation typically comprising 50 or more bedspaces under single professional management, offering extensive communal amenities and aimed primarily at working young adults. Tenancies are generally for a minimum of three months.

The guidance includes:

• Purpose and status of the document, including its role as interim guidance and its relationship to existing Local Plan policies.
  
  
• Definition and characteristics of co‑living developments, including minimum expectations on size, management, and communal facilities.
  
  
• Appropriate locations, emphasising accessible, well‑connected areas that can support high‑density residential uses.
  
  
• Design standards, covering unit mix, aggregated amenity space, internal and external communal areas, accessibility, and management requirements.
  
  
• Conversions, including expectations for adapting existing Purpose‑Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) into co‑living.
  
  
• Planning obligations and viability, setting out likely Section 106 requirements (e.g. affordable housing, open space, employment and training contributions).
  
  
• Pre‑application discussions, encouraging applicants to seek early advice from the Development Management team.

Please contact the Planning Policy Team using the email address localplan@nottinghamcity.gov.uk if you have any queries or would like more information. If you would like to speak to an officer on the phone, please email with your phone number and we will contact you in the first instance.