Problem Statement

The Building Model

Community Living is a new housing model designed to address the UK’s housing shortage with high quality vertical neighbourhoods while building communities, protecting food security and ensuring city dwellers access to green spaces.

Past experience has shown that high-density housing can fail where design, space standards, construction quality and long-term management are inadequate. These failures have shaped public skepticism, even though well-designed, well-managed high-rise housing can deliver positive outcomes¹.

On first look, families should be delighted with the space, quality and facilities in their new apartment.

1. Towers Built from 12-Storey Neighbourhood Modules

Each tower is composed of repeatable 12-storey neighbourhood units.

• Towers may scale up to ~120 storeys in major urban centres.
• Towns of up to 60,000 inhabitants would have towers of 12-24 storeys, with council and neighbourhood plans defining how many.
• Every 12 floors function as a recognisable social unit with its own support team and shared space.
• Strict structural and fire safety standards exceed minimum regulatory requirements.
• Spacious high quality design codes for the buildings. Accommodation should feel like high-quality, thoughtfully designed flats.
• Buildings publish full digital compliance records (the “golden thread” principle).
• Soundproofing should be extraordinarily effective.
• These days, need to be earthquake proofed.

This prevents anonymity and creates belonging within density.

---

2. Apartment Mix (Matched to Real Population Patterns)

Apartment mix should reflect the distribution of household types in the population, including single-person households, couples and families²

• 30% 1-person homes
• 45% 2-person homes
• 25% 4-person homes

This reflects:

• High prevalence of single-person households (~30%)
• Average household size of ~2.35
• Need for family-sized units

The mix is recalibrated locally using council household data.

---

3. Apartment Sizes:

The Community Living Standard would provide substantially more space than the British minimum, with a target of approximately 100 square metres for a two-bedroom family apartment. Other dwelling sizes would be set broadly in proportion. The intention is to provide homes suitable for lifelong occupation, home working, family life, entertaining and changing household needs—not merely accommodation that meets a minimum regulatory threshold.³

Standard	Design Philosophy

RIBA	Minimum acceptable long-term housing standard. Not always adhered to

Denmark / Netherlands

Typical high-quality Northern European apartment sizes.

Community Living Standard

Apartments designed for lifelong living, including home working, ageing in place, family life and entertaining, made possible by efficient high-rise construction.

Household	Typical Layout	Floor Area	Typical Accommodation

1-Person Apartment

Studio or 1-bedroom

~646 sq ft (60 m²)

Open-plan living/dining/kitchen, sleeping area or bedroom, bathroom, generous storage

2-Person Apartment

1-bedroom

~807 sq ft (75 m²)

Living/dining/kitchen, double bedroom, bathroom, utility/storage, home-working space

4-Person Apartment

2-bedroom

~1,076 sq ft (100 m²)

Large living/dining/kitchen, two double bedrooms, family bathroom, separate WC or en-suite, utility/storage, flexible study/play area

These are not micro-units. They are efficient, durable, and supported by substantial shared space.

---

Management

Buildings publish:

• Gross-to-net ratios
• Unit sizes
• Service charge breakdowns
• Maintenance lifecycle plans

Avoids race-to-the-bottom procurement. Developers criminally liable for poor quality or reduced sizes. Fast tracked planning permission is quid pro quo for well run company.

---

THE 12-STOREY NEIGHBOURHOOD TEAM

Each 12-storey module (approx. 250–300 residents) has a dedicated team:

1. Block Facilitator (Community Lead)

• Organises events and clubs
• Oversees shared spaces
• Supports dispute resolution
• Drives participation and belonging

2. Community Contribution Organiser

• Coordinates voluntary resident roles for those not in paid employment
• Allocates tasks in:
  • Restaurant service
  • Kitchens
  • Building maintenance
  • Events support
• Participation is structured, not coercive
• Exemptions apply for illness or caring responsibilities

Contribution builds dignity and skill.

3. Personal Development Specialist

• Works with economically inactive residents
• Designs pathways into:
  • Employment
  • Training
  • Recovery from illness
  • Confidence rebuilding
• Coordinates with Jobcentre, NHS, and training providers

This ensures no resident becomes invisible.

4. Gym Coach / Health Activation Lead

• Runs induction programmes
• Beginner fitness pathways
• Group sessions
• Habit formation coaching

Physical activation supports mental resilience.

---

SHARED SPACES

Tower-Wide Facilities

• Restaurant and production kitchen
• Coffee shop
• Canteen service (breakfast & lunch)
• Gym and studio rooms
• Laundry facilities
• Consulting room (health visiting / physio / wellbeing)
• Workshop & repair space
• Flexible event space

Per 12-Storey Module

• Lounge/common room
• Small pantry/kitchen
• Quiet room
• Bookable meeting room

Each module feels like a village.

---

THE FOOD MODEL

Food is central to community formation.

The Renewal Meal Plan

Each resident includes in their rent:

• Residents take a minimum 4 evening meals per week.
• Cooked breakfast and lunch available daily
• Meals charged at audited cost price for those in employment.
• Meals are subsidised for those not in employment – a new benefits system will recognise this.
• Children under 18 will be fed regardless.
• Transparent accounting of:
  • Ingredients
  • Labour
  • Energy
  • Waste

Residents may add additional meals as desired.

Why bundle meals?

• Creates routine
• Reduces loneliness
• Stabilises kitchen demand
• Improves nutrition
• Encourages intergenerational contact

Exemptions are available for medical or religious reasons.

---

BUILDING QUALITY STANDARD

All Renewal towers must:

• Exceed higher-risk building safety thresholds
• Publish maintenance and component lifecycle plans
• Use long-life structural design (60–100 year horizon)
• Meet high acoustic and daylight standards
• Include overheating mitigation
• Provide meaningful storage space
• Ensure resident governance structures are operational

Quality is foundational. Not optional.

---

GOVERNANCE

Each 12-storey module has:

• A Neighbourhood Council (resident-led)
• Quarterly Tower Assembly
• Published budgets for:
  • Food operations
  • Facilities
  • Service charges

Participation is civic, not bureaucratic.

---

EXPECTED OUTCOMES

This model aims to:

• Reduce loneliness
• Increase employment transitions
• Improve health activation
• Lower food waste
• Create structured pathways for the economically inactive
• Deliver dense housing without social fragmentation

It transforms housing from static shelter into an engine of capability.

Finance – Community Equity Ownership

Community Equity Ownership provides a new pathway between renting and home ownership. Instead of paying rent that creates no long-term financial stake, residents gradually build equity through their regular monthly housing payments. Like an occupational pension, each payment contributes towards a valuable long-term asset, allowing residents to accumulate ownership over time while remaining in affordable, high-quality housing. Alongside individual equity in their own apartment, residents also build a collective stake in the wider community through ownership of shared facilities and income-generating assets. The result is a housing model that not only provides secure accommodation but also encourages stewardship, participation and long-term wealth creation, reinforcing the principle that more people should own productive assets rather than simply consume services.

---

POSITION WITHIN THE RENEWAL FRAMEWORK

This initiative connects directly to:

• Getting to the Start Line – structured routines and dignity
• Skills & Confidence – built-in development pathways
• Productivity & Growth – reintegration of inactive labour
• Governance & Quality – transparent and durable systems

Vertical neighbourhoods are not simply housing reform.
They are civic infrastructure for a more resilient Britain.

Footnotes:

1. See here for evidence base ↩︎
2. (ONS, Families and Households in the UK) ↩︎
3. ↩︎