If you’re serious about setting up a cohousing community, you’ll need more than enthusiasm — you’ll need to know what actually has to happen, in what order, and why. This guide sets out the stages involved, from forming a group through to moving in, based on what’s worked for groups that have done it before you.

Five sections oversee a project’s phases of development:

• Group – establishing a project and its vision
• Site – seeking a suitable site or property
• Plan – formal approvals and partnerships
• Build – construction and on-site works
• Live – a new life in a shared neighbourhood

plus supplementary pages on Design and Finance, and details of resources to use and examples to consider.