The UK’s Homes England has chosen TOWN as the developer for a new domestic cohousing project in Northstowe, a town development near Cambridge.

TOWN, recognised for its Marmalade Lane cohousing community in Cambridge, will apply its expertise in creating well-designed, community-focused living spaces to this latest endeavour.

The designated area for the project is plot 2D1, situated south of the planned town centre of Northstowe.

A market testing exercise conducted by TOWN confirmed substantial interest in cohousing in the Greater Cambridge region.

The developer is now forming a group of prospective residents to participate in a co-design process for the community, which will include 40% affordable housing and various communal amenities.

This initiative marks another collaboration between TOWN and Mole Architects, building on their previous successful partnership at Marmalade Lane.

A post-occupancy evaluation of Marmalade Lane revealed that the development generated significant social value, contributing more than £1m ($1.30m) in benefits.

As the master developer for the second and third phases of Northstowe, Homes England envisions a vibrant community with around 10,000 new homes housing approximately 25,000 people over the next two decades.

TOWN's commitment to this vision supports Homes England's goal of fostering a sustainable and wellness-oriented environment in Northstowe.

Homes England Development head Matthew Brown said: “Homes England is committed to making Northstowe a vibrant and successful place. A key component of this will be to provide a diverse range of housing types and tenures. Building on our existing Market and Affordable Homes - including Northstowe Discount Market Sale Homes for first-time buyers - cohousing will make a valuable contribution to this mix.

“Appointing TOWN is a great next step in Northstowe’s journey, and we’ll be working to support the developer in bringing forward proposals for an exciting housing development which champions community at its core.”