Planning & Technical Design for
HMO and Co-Living Developments
Planning strategy for complex shared-living developments.
Hosannahs supports developers undertaking C4, Sui Generis, Article 4 and larger HMO/co-living conversions. We combine planning analysis, architectural design and technical considerations to develop schemes that respond to both local policy and operational requirements.
Large HMO projects require more than fitting the maximum number of rooms into a building.
The schemes that win consent — and work operationally — are the ones designed around the full range of planning, technical and management considerations from the outset. These are the factors we build into every HMO and co-living proposal:
HMO & Co-Living Development Types
From small shared houses to managed co-living schemes — each with its own planning route and risk profile.
C4 HMO
Small shared houses. Permitted Development in most areas, but full planning required where an Article 4 Direction applies. We assess the local policy position before recommending a route.
Sui Generis HMO
Larger HMOs that fall outside Class C4 and require full planning permission. Concentration, amenity and waste considerations tend to carry significant weight in the determination.
Co-Living
New-build or conversion co-living schemes with shared amenities and a managed operational model. Often Sui Generis, requiring a robust planning and design narrative.
Article 4 Areas
We work across Article 4 areas nationwide, preparing full planning applications where Permitted Development rights have been withdrawn and managing the policy justification.
From feasibility to technical design
A structured, developer-led process — not a one-off drawing exercise.
Feasibility
We assess the building, its existing use, the local planning context and the operational model to establish what may be achievable — from unit numbers and room sizes to the likelihood of consent.
Planning Strategy
We define the planning route — C4, Sui Generis, co-living or mixed-use — and identify the policy hooks, constraints and evidence base needed to support the proposal.
Pre-Application
Where the scheme is complex or contentious, we engage the council early through pre-application advice to test the strategy, de-risk the proposal and shape the final submission.
Full Planning
We prepare and submit the full planning application — drawings, design and planning statements and supporting assessments — and manage the case through to determination.
Technical Design
Following consent, we develop the technical design — Building Regulations drawings, fire strategy, acoustics and construction details — ready for delivery and licensing.
This is exactly the sort of process a complex shared-living enquiry demands — a feasibility-led route that tests the planning strategy, engages the council where it matters, and carries the design through to technical delivery. Discuss your scheme with us →
Why developers work with us
A planning and technical design service built around investment decisions, not drawing requests.
Strategy before drawings
We don't start by fitting rooms into a floorplate. We start by understanding the planning risk, the operational model and the return — then design a scheme that responds to all three.
Designed for determination
Every scheme is built around the policies that will actually decide it — concentration, amenity, waste, access and management — so the application lands with a coherent narrative.
Technical continuity
The same team carries the scheme from feasibility through planning to Building Regulations, preserving the design intent and avoiding the gaps that appear when handovers occur.
Developer-grade reporting
Clear feasibility conclusions, risk registers and recommendations that let you make informed capital decisions before you commit to the application.
HMO & Co-Living Planning
Common questions from developers and operators.
We work primarily with developers and operators running HMO and co-living strategies — from single-asset conversions through to multi-site programmes. The service is built around investment decisions, operational requirements and planning risk rather than one-off drawing requests.
We treat Article 4 as a planning strategy question, not a block. We assess the local policy position, the evidence base the council expects, and the concentration and amenity issues that will shape the decision, then prepare a full planning application with a coherent justification.
Yes. Larger HMOs and co-living models are often Sui Generis and require a more detailed planning and design narrative. We develop the planning strategy, architectural design and technical considerations together so the scheme responds to policy and to how the building will actually operate.
After consent we develop the technical design — Building Regulations drawings, fire strategy coordination, acoustics, access and construction details. This stage is what allows the scheme to move into delivery and licensing without the design intent being lost.
Where a scheme is complex, contentious or in a sensitive area, we recommend engaging the council through pre-application advice before the full submission. It tests the strategy early, surfaces officer concerns and lets us shape the final application around them.
Ideally at feasibility — before you commit to a layout or a planning route. The earlier we're involved, the more we can shape the scheme around the policies and constraints that will determine it, and the less rework is needed downstream.
Discuss an HMO or co-living development
Tell us about the site, the operational model and the return you're targeting. We'll set out the planning strategy, the risks and the route to consent.