Following the launch of the British Property Federation’s new warehousing board, Ambrey Baker’s executive director Paul Waldeck examines what items should make up its first agenda
The establishment of the Warehousing Board, as a mediator between an industry eager for change and local and national Government, has been greeted by facilities managers with open arms.
Launched by the respected British Property Federation (BPF), it gives the logistics sector, which employs 3.8m people and is responsible for 14% of the nation’s economic output, an influential voice in conversations with decision-makers. Driven by those working within the coal face of the industry, the board can ensure that policy change is made in the best interests of those it affects.
The new board will have much on its agenda, but key matters must not be overlooked.
The liberalisation of planning laws
Buried at the bottom of ex-chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng’s much-mired mini-budget last September was one line which offered much promise – the liberalising of planning laws. While the budget failed to expand into more detail – with the line disappointingly omitted from Jeremy Hunt’s succeeding budget – it showed an acknowledgement from the government that the planning permission system needed reform.
Therefore, it is important that the Warehousing Board becomes the torch bearer for the issue, as fixing it can lead to viable economic growth.
Regenerating and modernising older properties
A culmination of the lack of available industrial land, the shortness of time to secure it and a lack of major funding has seen much of the industry shy away from new builds. Instead, the focus has shifted to regenerating and modernising older properties.
To get the most from these refurbishment works, many older properties can benefit from raising its roof to aid with storage capacity. Many people talk about square footage when considering storage capabilities, but in logistics, building upwards is equally important to help maximise stock capacity and add greater value to its landlord.
With a spike in consumer demands, coupled with problematic supply chains causing a huge rise in stockpiling, it is vital buildings can be adapted to facilitate demand.
Aided by new automated technologies, modern warehouses can store at far greater heights than their predecessors and are therefore built much taller. For older facilities, expansions are needed to maximise their economic potential. Increasing the height of racking units by just two metres can increase capacity and profit by 25%. In challenging economic times such as this, such an increase in space can be priceless.
The Government needs to create new authorities with greater freedoms for giving planning consent. Quicker consent can instigate almost immediate benefits in economic boosts and employment figures.
Simplifying the planning process will drive employment
By simplifying the planning permission process and giving authorities greater freedom to approve applications quickly, the industry can help drive a healthy boost for employment with almost immediate benefits.
Easier planning processes could save companies tens of thousands of pounds typically spent trying to navigate the web of complexities woven by the current system. Ultimately, that can represent money saved for reinvestment in the workforce to operate within its now-larger premises.
So long as important preservation rules apply, such as protecting natural habitats, moving the rest of the goalposts can greatly benefit the economy.
Supporting the path to green
With the focus on remediation works of existing, decades-old properties, it’s clear that many are ill-equipped to deal with the effects of global warming. The summer of 2022 saw the UK record its highest-ever temperature of +40.3 degrees C.
Buildings were not designed for these temperatures, and in particular, the building fabric inside and out is progressively challenged because of the enormous thermal movement of its constituent materials.
Therefore, envelope integrity becomes a critical component to achieving energy conservation to meet the requirements of carbon-neutral legislation. The Warehousing Board should be sensitive to these challenges and strive for greater support to ensure the UK’s 566m sq ft of warehousing properties are supported on their path to net zero.
The Warehousing Board is a positive body for the sector. Established by those with invaluable first-hand experience in the logistics industry, it feels that positive change is just around the corner. With plenty of important issues to tackle, that change cannot come soon enough.
