A new 17-storey tower block with 397 studio flats described as Southampton’s first “co-living” building is now a step closer to reality.

Southampton City Council is set to give planning permission for the new tower in the St Mary's area, subject to developer Infinite Living paying up £4.6m to the council for affordable housing elsewhere.

Plans from applicant Infinite Living (Southampton) Ltd show the tower will follow the “co-living” model, a large block of residential accommodation served by shared space.

Residents would consider the entire building their home, with shared facilities designed to promote a sense of community between residents.

READ MORE: Southampton: Plans for 397 studio flats on Royal Crescent Road

The building will replace the former Olleco site on the corner of Royal Crescent Road and Chantry Road.

Six communal kitchens and dining rooms will be located on different floors.

At the planning meeting, Infinite Living said it will be a long-term investor in the city, as well as a “good neighbour”.

They added: “We want to become part of the community.

"Co-living is a community living. It is a 24/7-managed building, but it is more than that. This is how residents interact with each other.

“Kitchen-living areas are high-quality areas for people to come together to work, peer-to-peer relationships, grow together and everything that can be lost when you become isolated.”

Councillor Andy Frampton said: “I have a look at the site, and it’s quite a small site for a large building to go on, but it does fit in with other buildings already being agreed on the previous planning application for the site.”

Cllr John Savage, panel chair, said: “I think this is a new step for us. We have to think there was an application for student accommodation a little bit similar in the layout and tall buildings in the area which has already been approved, and this is not a massive step away from that; it is just a different kind of model.”

However, discussions are taking place between the council and the developer regarding the provision of affordable housing.

In this matter, Infinite Living has said the building is a single planning unit and not a series of self-contained homes and claims it does not have to provide affordable homes.

Officers “strongly disagree” with the developer’s position. An agreement needs to be reached before the council formally grants planning permission.

The council has said the developer could contribute towards affordable housing that could be used anywhere in the city.

If the head of transport and planning can agree with the developer, permission will be granted.

The public improvements will include a publicly accessible community café, co-working space, and gym.

It is proposed that there will be 397 private studio rooms. Of these, 245 will be 18.5sq.m studios, 77 will be 20sq.m studios, 55 will be 24sq.m studios and 20 will be 27sq.m studios.

All units will be fully furnished, including a small cooking area, crockery, cutlery, and en-suites with beds.

The developer said the rooms are targeted at young professionals or university leavers.

Units would typically be let including all bills on a short-term basis, with a minimum of three-month tenancies. The proposed gross rent per unit is £829 per calendar month.