This Is Why Co-Living In Ireland Should Be Encouraged, Not Banned

Co-living has had a rough start in Ireland. In 2018, regulations were introduced that allowed co-living schemes that provided 129 SF of living space per person, and a backlash ensued.

As a result, in 2020, new co-living schemes were banned — even though several schemes had already been approved for planning. Those pre-ban schemes were allowed to progress. 

But co-living offers a real opportunity amid a chronic housing shortage, according to Leo Colgan, co-founder and chief growth officer of technology provider IMS. As the first approved large scale co-living scheme opens its doors in Ireland and the debate around the ban continues, this is an opportunity to demonstrate the benefits that co-living can offer. 

“When the concept of co-living first arrived, it became an area of political debate primarily because of the size of the unit,” Colgan said. “Objections hit the airwaves because nobody explained what the concept of co-living really is. But in Ireland, the housing crisis is a perfect storm of supply and demand. Co-living can be part of the solution.”

The concept of co-living is to provide compact studios for residents, while providing a larger proportion of shared amenities than in an apartment block, such as common living areas, kitchens and coworking spaces. There are two reasons why co-living schemes should be encouraged rather than banned, Colgan said. 

The first reason is the opportunity to provide homes amid the ongoing housing crisis. In Q4 2022, the average rent of €1,733 per month was 13.7% above the same period the previous year. In February 2023, there were 1,096 properties available to rent, down more than 20% on the previous year, while there were a record 11,600 homeless people. 

At the moment, various living models are expanding as the sector attempts to create much-needed homes, Colgan said. Aparthotels and serviced living offer short-term accommodation, but due to the lack of renting options, many residents live there for much longer than schemes are designed to accommodate people, often months or even a year. This is the gap in the market that co-living could fill, he said. 

Colgan cited the tech sector, which brings international workers to Ireland, as a key target audience for co-living. Workers for these firms might not need to be in Ireland for long and currently struggle to find a suitable place to live. The lack of short- or medium-term options means they end up renting homes in suburban areas — homes that could otherwise be rented by families or those living in Ireland permanently. 

“Essentially, co-living caters for a small percentage of the public who are otherwise forced into taking traditional housing stock off the market,” he said. “This is the sort of housing stock that needs to be freed up.”

The second reason to encourage co-living is the high-quality homes they provide, Colgan said. While renting in a co-living scheme might cost more than renting a room in a house share, it includes everything from WiFi, electricity and heating, to a gym, shared amenities and even a calendar of events.

“I call it grown-up student accommodation,” Colgan said. “It’s not cheap, but it really is exceptional. For young, single people who might work in a tech company, it provides everything they need.” 

The first co-living scheme to open its doors has been developed by Bartra Group under the brand Niche Living, a scheme that gained planning permission before the ban came in. IMS designed and delivered the building’s connectivity infrastructure, WiFi network and TV and audiovisual offering and will support the property on an ongoing basis.

The partnership between IMS and Niche Living is more of a collaboration in putting the needs of the residents first, Colgan said. Residents can connect their devices to their own network from anywhere in the building, which is a key part of the co-living concept.

“There are coworking spaces on every floor, so connectivity across the building is essential,” he said. “A lot of people will be in these spaces, each with their own personal network. They want to have the home-from-home experience.”

Colgan said he believes the success of Niche Living will encourage the government to lift the ban on co-living schemes once people see the high of quality of living that it provides. IMS is currently working on delivering their services in the next two Niche Living co-living schemes under construction in Dublin, which will open their doors in 2024. 

“Once these schemes open, people will see they are not depriving families of comfortable homes,” he said. “They’ll see how fantastic they are. If the ban isn’t lifted, all that will happen is this sort of accommodation will arrive in a different format, dressed up as something else, because it’s exactly what’s needed.”

This article was produced in collaboration between IMS and Studio B. Bisnow news staff was not involved in the production of this content.

Studio B is Bisnow’s in-house content and design studio. To learn more about how Studio B can help your team, reach out to studio@bisnow.com.