**Concerns Mount Over ‘Garden Shed-Sized’ Flats in New Cardiff High-Rise Development**
Controversy has erupted in Cardiff following the approval of plans to construct co-living apartments that critics say are no larger than garden sheds. These claims have been amplified by community groups and civic campaigners, who question whether the Welsh capital is moving in the right direction as it embraces housing trends more often seen in larger English cities.
Last month, Cardiff Council’s planning committee gave the green light to the city’s first purpose-built co-living apartment blocks. The development, set to take the place of the long-vacant Asset House on Penarth Road, will see two towers erected: one reaching six storeys and the other stretching up to thirteen. Together, these buildings will offer a total of 182 self-contained flats as well as a range of communal and commercial facilities.
While council members highlighted the benefits of utilising a brownfield site and lauded the development’s proximity to city amenities, not everyone is convinced by the solution co-living represents. Cardiff Civic Society, a respected local charity, has been particularly vocal. In a recent letter sent to council planning chiefs, the group has raised red flags about the absence of specific local planning guidance for the new breed of co-living schemes—warning that the decision may create an uncertain precedent for the future.
Co-living spaces, which have gained popularity in cities such as London and Manchester, are usually geared towards young professionals desiring flexible, community-oriented lifestyles. Typically, these developments comprise private living quarters alongside shared kitchens, lounges, workspaces, and leisure areas. However, the model’s adoption in Cardiff is provoking anxiety about space standards and quality of life for future residents.
Cardiff’s current planning policy stipulates a thirty-square-metre minimum for studio flats. Yet, according to plans, the new co-living apartments will range from just 20.1 square metres to 29.9 square metres—several falling below the city’s own guidelines. For comparison, London’s recommended size for co-living units is between 22 and 27 square metres. Council officials have argued that the shortfall in personal space is compensated for by a bounty of communal offerings, with the new development providing 838.8 square metres of shared areas, including amenities such as a fitness room, cinema, games room, and rooftop gardens.
Despite these features, Cardiff Civic Society claims the scheme still fails to measure up. Their correspondence with the council asserts that the calculation for communal space may not reflect the full scope of more stringent benchmarks set by other UK cities. The society’s trustee stressed that, although the council’s dossier on the project acknowledges shortcomings in natural light and privacy, approval was inexplicably still granted.
“The report recognises the design’s deficiencies concerning daylight and overlooking, but argues that approval remains justified,” the letter noted. “It’s worrying that such standards are deemed acceptable in a new, purpose-built development.”
The crux of the Civic Society’s concern is the precedent this approval could establish. They fear that, without robust guidance, Cardiff could see a proliferation of similar developments, potentially undermining quality standards as developers look to replicate the model elsewhere in the city.
Responding to the growing scrutiny, a spokesperson for Cardiff Council said that co-living represents a “new type of housing” that is becoming increasingly widespread across British cities. The council representative emphasised that the approach is primarily aimed at meeting the needs of young professionals, offering quality accommodation and a sense of community. Whilst admitting that Cardiff currently lacks formal planning rules for co-living, they insisted that each application is being scrutinised on its individual merits, with plans underway to develop tailored guidance informed by national trends and neighbouring cities’ experiences.
The spokesperson continued, “Cardiff is committed to ensuring that all new developments are sustainable, inclusive, and well-designed. Officers are carefully reviewing applications and are working towards local guidance that will help ensure consistent, high-quality outcomes in the future.”
As Cardiff steps into this new era of urban housing, the debate over the size, standards, and suitability of co-living arrangements looks set to intensify. The city’s challenge will be to reconcile the quest for more affordable, flexible living solutions with the need to safeguard residents’ wellbeing and dignity. For now, both campaigners and officials are watching closely to see whether these ‘garden shed-sized’ flats prove to be part of the solution, or simply a new problem in disguise.