Blending urban logistics to create convenience

Author:
George Dickens Senior Development Director
020 7657 1853
Read time: 3 mins
Category: Place
Author:
Blending urban logistics to create convenience

Read time: 3 mins
Category: Place

Although most of our developments focus on purely providing urban logistics accommodation in strategic locations, there are some that comprise multiple uses.

Our most recent development of this type is the £30m, 200,000 sq ft Bourges View in Peterborough. In addition to the 18 trade counter and warehousing units on the site there are Wendy’s, Costa Coffee and Taco Bell drive throughs as well as a Lok’n Store self-storage facility.

Similar Chancerygate developments include Gateway 44 in Carlisle, which features a Costa Coffee drive through and retail outlets, and Cranes Business Centre in Ipswich which also has drive through food outlets and retailers in close proximity.

At Chancerygate, it is our mission to not only seek value in our developments, but also ensure they are long-term economic assets.

These types of multi-use development provide occupiers, their employees and visitors to the sites with increased levels of convenience which, in turn, enhances the long-term economic value of the asset.

Urban logistics demands convenience

The ever increasing rise of ecommerce, consumer expectations for fast service and many businesses’ needs for a ‘just in case’ supply chain all drive the demand for last-mile urban logistics accommodation.

That means these types of development need to be located close to established and growing population hubs that are well served by readily available transport infrastructure.

It also means they are ideal for a blend of business genres across last mile logistics, trade and retail uses as they are in easily accessible locations which generate increased footfall and multiple consumer visits.

For example, Bourges View has a daily traffic count of more than 26,500 vehicles, is close to the city centre and adjacent to the main retail warehousing hub in Peterborough.

All of this combined ensures a greater likelihood of commercial success for occupiers and unlocks value in a scheme.

Employee benefits of convenience

A major advantage for employers who occupy multi-use developments are the benefits that they deliver to their employees who work there.

The developments are generally accessible by various modes of transport due to their strategic locations. This puts schemes in easy reach of a wider available labour pool and they provide a greater range of amenities for employees creating a more enriched working environment.

In our experience, all these factors combined can help with staff recruitment and retention in highly competitive labour markets.

Rise of the drive through food and drink outlets

Typically, drive throughs occupy 1,800 to 2,500 sq ft across 0.6-acres so they can be planned as part of the wider development without taking up large swathes of space.

Drive through food outlets are not a new concept in the UK, there are more than 2,000 across the country with their number growing 41 per cent between 2015 and 2020.  Current demand is very strong with a number of new entrants keen to provide competition to the more established operators.

The Wendy’s at the Bourges View development is the US burger chain’s first ever purpose built drive through in the UK and sits alongside a Costa Coffee – a long established brand.

Due to their strategic and accessible locations, it is also not unusual to see discount retailers such as Aldi and Lidl locate close to or even forming part of urban logistics developments.

The only constant is convenience

Urban logistics blended with convenience retail or food and beverage is highly desirable and enhances the marketability of schemes.

By delivering alternate convenience uses, developments will endure and prosper because they provide the businesses and communities they serve with points of difference and greater variety and accessibility.

 You can learn more about Chancerygate’s development sites across the UK here. For more information on how we deliver convenient urban logistics, get in touch with George Dickens on email: gdickens@chancerygate.com or telephone: 07767 254 234.

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