Paul Rickard, CEO of Pocket Living, shares his expertise in affordable housing for first-time buyers and key workers in London. He discusses the unique design of Pocket homes, which cleverly maximize space while feeling spacious. Paul highlights the challenges faced by SME developers amid a volatile market and emphasizes the importance of financial fluency in housing innovation. Additionally, he advocates for creating community through accessible living spaces that foster social connections, revealing insights into the evolving landscape of urban affordability.
21:23
forum Ask episode
web_stories AI Snips
view_agenda Chapters
auto_awesome Transcript
info_circle Episode notes
insights INSIGHT
Finance Balances Risk and Drive
A finance background helps combine entrepreneurial drive with structured risk management.
Understanding both politics and economics is key to managing development viability and investor confidence.
insights INSIGHT
UK's Stability Attracts US Investors
UK is seen as politically stable and attractive for US investors despite lower returns.
The UK housing system differs fundamentally from the US tax credit-based affordable housing system.
insights INSIGHT
SMEs Struggle vs Housing Associations
SME developers face tough financial challenges with limited access to finance.
Housing associations have more financial stability and regulatory support, making their model very different.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
In the final episode recorded at UKREiiF 2025, co-hosts Oli Lowrie and Jon Ackroyd sit down with Paul Rickard, CEO of Pocket Living, to explore bold housing innovation in London. Paul brings a finance-savvy lens to the pressing challenges facing SME developers, explains why Pocket homes defy their compact dimensions, and outlines what is needed from policymakers to truly unlock urban affordability. With insights into planning, politics, risk and design, this is a compelling end to the UKREiiF series, and it champions the citymakers behind our cities.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Finance fluency matters: Paul explains how his financial background helps balance entrepreneurial drive with disciplined risk-taking, which is vital in today’s volatile market.
SMEs under pressure: With 4,000 construction insolvencies annually, SME developers like Pocket face vastly different funding and risk environments compared to housing associations.
The Pocket model: Offering discounted one-bedroom homes for first-time buyers, Pocket focuses on key workers who keep the city running but are priced out of it.
Not your average one-bed: Despite being 37 square metres, Pocket homes are carefully designed to feel spacious, challenging perceptions of small-scale housing.
Built-in community: From WhatsApp groups to rooftop parties, Pocket does not just deliver housing, it helps residents build social connections from day one.
Innovation is hard: Paul says more developers should innovate, but acknowledges the regulatory, funding and cultural hurdles that make it difficult.
Planning and perception: Pocket’s model has gradually gained acceptance from planners through persistent education and mission clarity.
Rental is next: Pocket is expanding into high-quality rental housing with a similar ethos, targeting affordability, longevity and community.
BEST MOMENTS
“People that buy our homes have a lot in common… You go in already knowing your neighbours. That’s community from day one.”
“If local authorities want their nurses, teachers, police officers to stay, this is the answer.”
“We've spent 20 years making sure this doesn’t feel like a compact home.”
“I wish there were more people innovating. It can’t just be Pocket.”
VALUABLE RESOURCES
https://www.ackroydlowrie.com
https://www.pocketliving.com
EPISODES TO CHECK OUT NEXT
The Future of Inclusive Design and Women in Architecture with Ana McMillin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANwoBM3PQAM
Inside Brent’s Regeneration Project with Alice Lester
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGRh8HgX0to
ABOUT THE HOSTS
Jon Ackroyd and Oliver Lowrie, the visionary hosts of Urban Forecast, bring their expertise from leading their innovative practice, Ackroyd Lowrie. Known for pushing the boundaries in urban design, Jon and Oliver use their podcast to delve into the future of cities, sharing insights from their work on projects that emphasise sustainability, community, and transformative architecture. Through Urban Forecast, they engage listeners with discussions on how architecture and design shape urban living, aiming to inspire new ways of thinking about the spaces around us.
Urban Forecast 