GP 49: How to unlock Co-Living: Redefining Urban Living with James Armitage-Hobbs of DP9
Update: 2025-09-23
Description
In this episode of the Grow Places podcast, Tom Larsson sits down with James Armitage-Hobbs, Director at DP9, to ask a big question: What role does co-living play in the future of our cities?
They explore:
- How co-living has evolved over the past decade from a niche idea into a recognised housing model.
- Why loneliness, affordability, and housing shortages make professionally managed shared living so relevant today.
- The planning and policy challenges of a use class that doesn’t neatly fit existing categories.
- Lessons from early schemes, and how case studies shaped today’s “second-generation” co-living projects.
- The tension between creating amenities that build community within buildings and ensuring they also contribute positively to neighbourhood life.
- The potential of repurposing outdated office stock into sustainable co-living communities.
- How public benefit stories—affordable housing, ground floor uses, and wider economic impact—are reshaping conversations with local authorities.
As James reflects, “It was only when people could see live case studies that the model really started to gain traction.” And as Tom observes, “Successful projects must enrich not just the building, but the neighbourhood and the city around it.”
This conversation dives deep into the opportunities and challenges of co-living, why it matters for London’s housing mix, and how it can help create more connected, resilient urban communities.
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