Amongst many of the commercial units that we have here at Boxpod, we have a wide range of warehouses to rent. For a long time, warehouses have typically been located outside of town, due to the fact that they typically take up a lot of land area and are not particularly useful to the local community.
Things are beginning to change, however. Demand for warehouse space is ever-increasing with the growth of e-commerce and next-day deliveries. And locations are also beginning to diversify. We have recently seen a growing proportion of warehouses springing up inside towns and cities. This time, however, usually laid out in a more vertical manner, stacking, instead of spreading out on the ground, or indeed, putting the warehouse unit underground to reduce any visual impact and save on land space.
Why are we Seeing More Inner Town and City Warehouses?
One of the main factors that is driving the new trend of warehouses moving towards more residential and inner town or city areas, is the need to fulfil customer expectations – in main, getting goods to customers as quickly as possible once they have ordered. Instead of having to bring products into the town from out-of-town locations, the products are already almost on their doorstep.
Of course, this land is often more expensive than destinations further afield, and in addition to the growing demand for these spaces, the rates are currently pretty high. As you can probably imagine, another issue is NIMBYism (Not In My Back Yard) – local residents not wanting this kind of commercial unit in their vicinity. And this is why many of the warehouse companies are looking to make their proposal more attractive to neighbours.
One of the key elements for businesses looking to bring their warehouses into local communities is to communicate as early as possible with the people who live there. Understanding what they need in the area, what they want from local businesses, looking to help with these, and letting people know what to expect from you, is essential. It gives warehouse owners and landlords the chance to eliminate any misconceptions or deal with issues as they come up.
In this article, we are going to look at some of the benefits of having these warehouses closer to where you live and work.
1. Air Quality
Despite what might seem to be the obvious, having distribution warehouses closer to the end customer can often mean that fewer and shorter deliveries are made, resulting in better air quality and lower carbon emissions. It means that in total there will be fewer journeys, and motorways and junctions will be less congested.
2. Faster Deliveries
One of the most obvious benefits would be for customers, both domestic and commercial. They will, of course, get their goods quicker. This is especially effective if the business using the warehouse delivers to the local area in high quantities.
3. Local Jobs
One of the greatest benefits of having a new warehouse in your area is that it can be an excellent job creator. They may need drivers, administrators, managers, cleaners, caterers, and other warehouse staff, for example.
4. Local Economy
Following the creation of local jobs, the local economy can get a boost, from housing to cafes, shops, and bars, for example.
5. Visual Impact
One of the biggest fears that local people might have when they hear about a new warehouse coming to the area is its visual impact. However, warehouse landlords and owners are increasingly hiding the less aesthetically pleasing parts by surrounding them with trees and bushes, as well as constructing other facilities. These also provide tranquil, green areas where local residents could escape a little.
6. Mixed Use Units
Increasingly, warehouse units are being constructed with other spaces as well. For example, we are finding warehouses in a complex alongside retail units, gyms, residential units, leisure areas, and even football pitches. This can all be used to enrich the local area.
7. Facilities
Many of these businesses build facilities for employees to make life easier and more enjoyable for them, as well as helping to attract the best talent in the industry. Facilities such as cafes, lakes, electric car charging points, or bike parking could also be used by the local people, creating a bond between the business and the local community.
The world of warehouses in the commercial unit sector is essentially splitting into two. Whereas before, warehouse units were used only to store products and materials for distribution, we are now seeing more and more warehouses being used for data centres – the huge warehouses that house the servers of the internet.
This part of the sector is likely to grow still more as the world begins to use AI, automation, and the Internet of Things more commonly. This all takes up a lot of data, and this is why more and more data centres are being needed.
It does, therefore, seem pretty straightforward for the other warehouse units (used to store things in) to be in a different space, closer to their end customers.
The concept of constructing an underground warehouse also appears to be one that should be investigated more, as we see the cost of land rocket up, as well as the demand for warehouse units.
Here at Boxpod, we have a range of different commercial units for rent. Whether it is a warehouse unit, office space, retail unit, workshop, or even storage container, we have it!
If you are a business looking for a commercial unit, we can help you find your perfect space. Likewise, if you are a landlord or owner looking to rent your commercial unit, let us help you find your ideal tenants. So why not take a look at our website?