The project is the debut major development from the joint venture between TOWN and The Hill Group, working in partnership with Homes England, the master developer for phases two and three of the new town. The partnership aims to accelerate delivery of community‑focused neighbourhoods across the south of England, combining Hill’s delivery capacity with TOWN’s expertise in resident‑led housing.

Designed by Mole Architects, the scheme will deliver 145 homes across four compact urban blocks next to the emerging town centre. Forty per cent of the homes will be affordable, offered through Affordable Rent and Discount Market Sale.

The neighbourhood will host two cohousing groups:

• Suvana Cohousing – a community grounded in Buddhist principles
• Northstowe Cohousing – a multi‑generational group inspired by Cambridge’s award‑winning Marmalade Lane

Residents have shaped the proposals through an extended co‑design process, influencing home layouts, shared facilities and landscape design. The mix includes terraces, maisonettes and apartments ranging from one to four bedrooms.

The masterplan centres on a car‑free play street linking directly to the Greenway park, with shared gardens, natural play areas and two common houses providing space for communal meals, events and everyday interaction.

All houses will be timber‑framed and all homes will feature air‑source heat pumps and low‑carbon materials. The landscape strategy by Guarda Landscape integrates sustainable drainage, edible planting and pedestrian‑ and cycle‑first streets designed in line with Building for a Healthy Life principles.

The scheme is seen as a significant step in demonstrating how cohousing can be delivered as part of mainstream development.

Jonny Anstead, director at TOWN, said the project remains unusual in the UK context: “Opportunities to deliver cohousing at scale don’t come along often. What makes Northstowe particularly unusual is that we’re creating two cohousing communities side by side within a single neighbourhood. It’s also an important moment for our partnership with Hill.”

Tom Hill, managing director at The Hill Group, added: “Partnership working has been central to bringing these two cohousing communities to life. We look forward to starting on site and delivering high‑quality homes that foster community, sustainability and intergenerational living.”

Matthew Brown, head of large sites at Homes England, said the scheme shows how diversifying housing types can accelerate delivery and strengthen the new town’s long‑term resilience.

Construction is expected to begin in summer 2026, marking the first built project from the TOWN–Hill joint venture and a significant milestone in the rollout of community‑led housing across the region.