The conference season has kicked off for 2025 with Property Week’s Industrial and Logistics Conference. Bringing industry leaders together to explore key trends and insights defining the sector, our experts were pleased to join some thought-provoking panels.
Set against a backdrop of key government changes, and the anticipated revised industrial strategy set to be released later this year, the discussions come at an important time for the sector. Attending the day, our Head of Planning, Caroline Musker, along with Jason Longhurst, Head of Sustainable Investment and Partnerships, share their main takeaways from their sessions:
Planning
Speed of delivery - The current landscape of major reform certainly offers promise for the long-awaited improvement of the planning system. However, this comes with increased risk and a lack of certainty, stagnating the delivery of many planning projects. To mitigate this, early engagement is critical to unlocking progress, helping to push forward schemes and drive pace to attract investment.
Partnerships - Sharing risks, responsibilities and expertise can offer real value by driving planning projects. In an uncertain political climate, this is particularly helpful during times of heightened capacity or a fluctuating market.
Pace - Keeping up with the pace of the market is key for the planning system, and removing blockers created by the current political landscape will help to achieve this. To help drive plans forward in the face of barriers, a carrot and stick method could be adopted as part of government plans, to balance the scales of the planning process. When these types of blockers are addressed, the case can be made for Industrial Logistics to be recognised as a core part of government industrial strategy moving forward.
Policy & Government
Language and terminology - Our sector needs to be more aware of its language and terminology, and how it can influence its part in industrial strategy. By properly evidencing the role of logistics, it can be better understood as a sector that delivers much-needed critical infrastructure, and growth.
Sector unity - Moving forward, it is essential to align to Industrial Logistics as a whole rather, than dividing it into multiple sub-sectors. By doing this, the sector can ensure its value is better understood and its impact not undermined.
The importance of engaging on the economics behind sustainable growth mustn’t be underestimated, bringing the sector together, in line with wider government objectives.
Partnerships - Both public and private partnerships will be key to shaping the industry and attracting investment in UK plc. Executing this effectively will be two-fold – within the sector, it can be achieved through communicating the role of Industrial Logistics and evidencing its impact. As well as this, government must also take on an enabling role to create the investable environment that is needed.
For both Caroline and Jason, the day offered a valuable look into the future of the Industrial & Logistics. While many are awaiting changes that offer promise for the planning system, it’s clear that there is still work to be done both within the sector and from wider government to ensure plans create the impact that's needed
