Shared communal room
Approved Document O: Overheating, published by HM Government in 2021, defines shared communal rooms as: ‘Rooms in buildings containing dwellings or residential units, which provide facilities for the residents, e.g. a shared living room, kitchen or laundry room.’
Approved Document F Volume 1, 2021 edition, defines shared communal rooms as: ‘Rooms in buildings containing dwellings, which provide facilities for the residents, for example a laundry room, occupied lobby or gym. This does not include areas used solely or principally for circulation in buildings containing dwellings, including corridors or lift lobbies.’
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
Featured articles
Check out some of the best features and news from Designing Buildings as well as key stories from around the web.
New and updated CLC building safety guidance.
New UK National Buildings Database.
Building Safety Wiki Interviews
Chief executive of the British Woodworking Federation.
Planning condition discharge in England and Wales
A brief explanation from a building compliance expert, with further links.
Overheating guidance and tools for building designers
Guidance for dealing with element of building fabric control that have increasing importance.
Shading for housing, a design guide
From the Good Homes Alliance and British Blind and Shutter Association.
UK Standard Skills Classification (SSC)
A shared framework for describing skills needs.
Social media ban consultation comes to close
CIOB urges UK Government to consider social media’s role in careers guidance in ban debate.
The latest of eight Skills England apprenticeship units
The addition of battery manufacturing welcomed by ECA with a warning about the risks of fast-tracked apprenticeship units.
Building Control Independent Panel final report
A precis of a key report led by Dame Hackitt with full recommendations and link to the government response.
Building Safety recap April, 2026
A short and longer run-through of the month, with links to further information and sources.
















