{"id":162627,"date":"2026-06-04T09:23:42","date_gmt":"2026-06-04T08:23:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pbctoday.co.uk\/news\/?p=162627"},"modified":"2026-06-04T09:23:42","modified_gmt":"2026-06-04T08:23:42","slug":"how-to-unlock-urban-brownfield-for-logistics-last-mile","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pbctoday.co.uk\/news\/planning-construction-news\/how-to-unlock-urban-brownfield-for-logistics-last-mile\/162627\/","title":{"rendered":"How to unlock urban brownfield for the logistics last mile"},"content":{"rendered":"

Jonathan Childs and Ian Bracey from Pell Frischmann discuss why urban brownfield sites are key to easing the increasing pressure on the UK logistics industry<\/h2>\n

Since the pandemic accelerated e-commerce, the UK logistics industry has been moving towards making next-day delivery standard.\u00a0Research has shown\u00a0that the majority of Brits want same-day delivery<\/a>, and as a consequence, last-mile delivery facilities (LMFs)\u00a0are now moving at twice the speed of other types of development.<\/p>\n

The\u00a0pace of change will only accelerate. Earlier this month, Amazon became the first retailer in the UK to start a drone delivery service<\/a>, meaning more developers will soon be called upon to build LMFs that incorporate drone landing pads and automated delivery vehicles (ADVs). \u00a0In China, tens of thousands<\/a>\u00a0of\u00a0ground-based \u2018robovan\u2019\u00a0ADVs are\u00a0already being\u00a0used for last-mile delivery\u00a0in over 200 cities<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Increasing pressure on last-mile delivery facilities<\/h3>\n

The speed of expansion<\/a> means LMF developers are under pressure to bring developments forward as quickly as possible, often relying on a formulaic approach with their established supply chain. The most frequent question an LMF developer gets asked is, \u2018How quickly can you get planning permission?\u2019\u00a0The short answer is that it\u00a0depends on the site and how well you understand it.<\/p>\n

The challenge is that although people generally want the speed and convenience of fast last-mile delivery, they usually do not want the associated facilities located<\/a>\u00a0right on their doorstep.<\/p>\n

Constructing new logistics hubs on urban brownfield sites<\/h3>\n

The most effective way to reduce objections is to engage with the community early.\u00a0Residents around an\u00a0urban LMF will typically\u00a0expect some industry, as these are often built on brownfields\u00a0that have been used for industrial purposes for hundreds of years. Such land can be greatly improved by the construction of new logistics hubs, as part of\u00a0the\u00a0wider regeneration of roads and the introduction of greenery and\u00a0improvements to the\u00a0condition of old industrial buildings<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Developers who recognise that an LMF brings benefits, including local employment, to the community and requires thoughtful design \u2013 such as feature cladding, landscaping, the provision of on-site travel hubs and amenities \u2013 are having greater success achieving planning approvals.<\/p>\n

Overcoming obstacles and objections<\/h3>\n

However, even with suitable employment allocations in a master plan, there will probably still be objections to address.\u00a0Design strategies which can smooth these include:<\/p>\n