Award-winning housebuilder, The Hill Group has joined forces with TOWN, the UK’s leading cohousing developer, in a strategic joint venture to scale up the delivery of cohousing and community-focused residential development. This ambitious partnership signals a major step towards in tegrating innovative cohousing models into the mainstream housing sector, combining Hill’s industry-leading delivery expertise with TOWN’s pioneering approach to community-led development.
Together, Hill and TOWN are committed to redefining how new neighbourhoods are conceived and built, prioritising design quality, resident engagement and stewardship. Over the next five years, the joint venture will focus on delivering mixed-use, community-focused developments that reflect the evolving needs of residents while championing sustainability and innovation in the built environment. Following TOWN’s successful cohousing model, residents will play a significant role in the design process, and developments will feature shared amenities, such as communal dining spaces, gardens and play areas where the community can come together.
The first project under the new partnership will be delivered at Northstowe, a new urban settlement located ten miles north of Cambridge. The neighbourhood will be shaped in collaboration with Homes England to reflect the needs and aspirations of future residents. It will feature approximately 150 homes, including cohousing, private and affordable housing, with a gross development value of £51.3 million. The project is currently in design, with a planning application expected to be submitted this summer.
The partnership builds on the success of TOWN’s groundbreaking Marmalade Lane development in Cambridge, which has become a national exemplar of best practice in cohousing. Completed in 2019, Marmalade Lane is home to 100 adults and children, and maintains a waiting list of over 500 households. It has received more than ten national awards for architecture, placemaking and social value. Nearby, The Hill Group has delivered a 100% affordable housing development at Orchard Park in partnership with Cambridge City Council, further demonstrating both organisations’ commitment to inclusive and sustainable living.
The new joint venture aims to deliver new homes across London, Cambridgeshire, Essex and Oxfordshire, regions where both companies already maintain a strong presence. It will work closely with public sector bodies, legacy landowners and forward-thinking partners to deliver places that generate long-term social, environmental and financial value. Its structure allows planning, design and delivery to be coordinated from the outset, making sure quality is embedded and maintained through every stage, meaning it will create better places, faster and with greater long-term value.
Andy Hill OBE, Founder and Group Chief Executive of The Hill Group, said: “This is an exciting move for Hill as we step into the cohousing sector for the first time. TOWN’s community-first perspective to development presents a fresh and innovative approach that aligns with our commitment to creating sustainable, socially valuable communities. This venture not only expands and diversifies our development pipeline but also reflects our ambition to support the growth of smaller, values-driven developers who are making a real impact in the sector.”
Jonny Anstead, Co-founding Partner of TOWN, added: “This joint venture marks a major step forward, enabling us to take our prototype of community-oriented, design-led development to new places and greater scale. By partnering with Hill, we gain the delivery capacity and market strength to bring our model to a wider audience, while maintaining the integrity of our community-first and values-led approach. This partnership enables us to grow in a way that prioritises people, sustainability and long-term social value.”
