High Quality Affordable Family Housing
There was strong support in the first round of consultation with 70% of respondents agreeing with the proposed provision of much needed homes, including for families. Our affordable housing building will provide 24 high quality family homes, which will contribute towards Southwark’s housing targets and meets the Council’s policy that 35% of habitable rooms should be affordable. This significant focus on family sized units, with a rare level of three and four bedroom family, will help create real diversity in the local area and ease pressure on the council housing register for some of those most in need of good quality housing.
All units will be either double or triple aspect with a combination of balconies and (on the higher floors) terraces, and benefit from a generous amount of external private amenity space. The entrance to the building will be located off a new street and will be activated and well lit. As a registered B Corp Pending company, The SoCo is legally committed to creating wider benefits from its work and sees this as its duty to the local community.
The high quality affordable family homes will sit alongside the shared living accommodation. In the picture to the left, the shared living building is on the left hand side and the high quality affordable homes are on the right.
Shared living
Shared living differs from other forms of housing both in its flexibility and in the amount and quality of the amenity space included. Unlike traditional Build-to-Rent developments, Shared Living schemes maximise the use of communal areas for the benefit of residents, encouraging social behaviour and reducing rents to a more affordable level.
Our proposals for St Olav’s Court are for c216 shared living suites, a generous provision of communal amenity in line with emerging best practice and an upgrading of the commercial space.
Community members will be able to use their private space effectively whilst also enjoying the vast array of member benefits, including kitchenette, ensuite and hotel style bedroom in their private area along with communal laundry, gym, cooking, dining, entertaining and playing facilities.
The shared living suites, amenity and public realm will be professionally managed by an experienced on-site operational team, ensuring that all facilities are well maintained.
The SoCo seeks to provide a home for residents who then become established and invested in their immediate and wider community.