Co-Living Housing is a diverse housing category under the new State Environmental Planning Policy (Housing) 2021 which was introduced in November 2021.
Co-Living Housing is typically built in highly connected areas, where residents have convenient access to work, study, and recreation opportunities. It often appeals to young professionals and key workers but can attract a wide variety of people from diverse demographics.
Under the Housing SEPP, Co-Living Housing:
Planning Incentive
Co-Living developments attract a 10% density bonus, increasing the floor space ratio for the site.
While they are similar in their built form, Co-Living developments are not required to provide affordable housing.
For more information on affordable housing developments, see Boarding Houses.
Livable Housing – Did you know that Co-Living developments need to meet a minimum criteria of six private rooms ranging in size from 12sqm to 25sqm, excluding any space which may be used to provide private kitchen or bathroom facilities? Depending on the size of the development a certain amount of indoor and outdoor space, to be shared by all residents as spaces to relax and socialise is also required. With clever planning and design, you may be surprised by what you can achieve on your site.
Fire Rating Standards – There are many complicated local and state legislative requirements for fire rating of Co-Living Housing. It is essential that the design of the development factor in these standards. But how will you know what these standards are? How will you make sure that your chosen architect is qualified to design a co-living development that also achieves the appropriate design standards to comply with the fire rating legislation and codes?
Location – You decide to apply to council for a Co-Living development in a well established suburb and within a permitted zone. However, the local residents strongly object believing it will detrimentally impact on their residential amenity, leading to lower house values. How would you address these potential issues in your development application to council? How do you demonstrate that grounds of objection to a development application will only hold legal weight if they are based on certain planning principles?
Development Standards – There are grounds upon which Council cannot refuse a consent for this type of housing under the State Policy. Let us help you clearly outline how your development complies and should be approved based on matters such as local/neighbourhood character, location to transport services, bulk and scale, height, overlooking of neighbours and privacy, solar access, streetscape amenity, landscape design, private open space, accommodation sizes/facilities, suitable plan of management and parking and traffic impacts.
We understand that getting to the point of having the right approval for your Co-Living development is not an easy journey. It’s one that needs the best experience the industry has to offer. That’s why we’re here to help… We’d love to make your council approval journey for a co-living development as simple and as pain free as possible
We’ve have dedicated town planners and designers that specialise in this type of development application.
You can glean from the wisdom we’ve gained from all of our past projects. 25 years of being in the industry and our 50 consecutive years of experience has taught us a few things
Ready to get started? Book in for your Free 30 Minute Consultation.