EA Sustain: An Intro to Cohousing

Many people are seeking alternatives to isolated living — housing that is social, efficient, and rooted in community — yet co-housing remains poorly understood in the UK.

This session explains what co-housing is, why people choose it, and why it can take well over a decade to realise. You will hear directly from the leaders of two major projects, both of which required extraordinary persistence to overcome planning, financial, and regulatory barriers.

Owen Jarvis, CEO of the UK Cohousing Network, provides a national perspective on the movement - its roots in Northern Europe, its growing momentum in the UK, and what needs to change for community-led housing to scale.

Crucially, this discussion shows why co-housing is not simply an alternative to care homes, but an appealing model for people of all ages who want shared resources, mutual support, and a different approach to living well together.