In this episode of Urban Forecast, co-hosts Oli Lowrie and Jon Ackroyd sit down with Nick Cuff, Managing Director and founder of Urban Sketch, to unpack why London has stopped building and how we can start again. From his beginnings in local government to leading one of the most design-driven housing innovators in the UK, Nick offers rare insight into the real economics behind development, the policy traps slowing progress, and why storytelling might just be the key to rebuilding trust in the housing sector. Expect a candid conversation about design, policy, affordability and the future of living in our cities.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Housing delivery is broken but fixable. Nick explains that the challenges facing UK housebuilding come from a combination of demand-side changes, rising build costs, and increasingly adversarial policy.
Developers need to tell a better story. The property sector has failed to communicate its social and economic value, despite contributing twice as much to the UK economy as financial services.
Policy has become mismatched to reality. Fire safety, levies, and affordable housing requirements have all increased without corresponding flexibility in planning or design standards.
We need balance between regulation and risk. A healthy housing system requires developers to feel confident taking on projects. Policy should enable, not discourage, calculated risk-taking.
Co-living is part of the solution. Compact, high-quality urban housing can give young people affordable access to well-located homes without compromising on design.
Investors need clarity. With seven-year project timelines and shifting government policy, capital is cautious about UK residential investment.
Better use of data could transform planning. Misunderstood statistics and poor transparency fuel misconceptions about land banking and value capture.
Design and community go hand in hand. For Nick, successful development is about bridging the gap between buildings and the people who inhabit them.
BEST MOMENTS
“We’re a poor communicator as a sector, given how material the things we do are to society.”
“It’s a bit of a sausage machine. You put one thing in, you’ve got to take something else out. Right now, the sausage machine isn’t working.”
“Developers aren’t land banking, they just can’t make it stack up.”
“I’m most excited about seeing a spade in the ground and people living in what we build.”
VALUABLE RESOURCES
https://www.ackroydlowrie.com
EPISODES TO CHECK OUT NEXT
Reclaiming Value in Architecture with Hari Phillips
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FosWeZqmWL8
Are Architects Being Replaced by AI?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQ4PNpsulic
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.
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