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Telephone +44 (0)344 879 3919
Welcome to our latest longer-read article in our series covering all things construction.
Whilst we’re very much looking ahead this year, we wanted to take a moment to look back at an event we took part in towards the end of 2020, simply because we found it so interesting and hadn’t really had a chance to pause and review until the break over Christmas.
In October, we were the event partner and keynote speaker at the 2020 Sheds and Logistics Development Conference ran by Built Environment Networking, the UK’s leading provider of networking and development insights events in the construction and property industry.
The 2020 conference was all online but it still gave us a fantastic opportunity to share our views and discuss the industry with the likes of Trebor Developments, Wrenbridge, Stoford Developments, HBD and more.
We opened with a key note speech covering our recent experiences as construction consultants, before the virtual conference delved into all of the key topical subjects, hearing from the experts on their upcoming major development projects and exactly what the changing logistics industry means for businesses across the UK – what challenges it presents and what opportunities.
The conference covered issues which we all know need to be addressed – emissions, automation, health and wellbeing, but it was also an exciting discussion on how modern, sustainable, fully integrated developments can embrace innovation and continue to drive economic growth, all with a greener future and better care for the workforces in mind.
As a supplier of construction consultancy services to a wide range of clients throughout the country, with many bringing forward major logistics hubs and distribution centres, our experience means we support with every aspect of planning and delivery, from due diligence, cost planning, traditional surveying to full project management roles.
What we see in the industry today, and what was at the forefront of the conference, was how the old and the new can work together to deliver the very best strategic sites, creating jobs, driving growth and catering to the changing technological, social and political landscapes.
We delivered our first shed in the 1970s and now support the delivery of well in excess of 1,000,000 sq ft per year for a range of different clients. Interestingly, a recent Knight Frank study has suggested that a total of 92 million sq ft will be required by 2024 to meet new demand – so plenty to go at!
The passion in the industry remains unrivalled, with tradition and innovation fostering new ways to meet the challenges at home and across borders.
We’re confident that sustainability, skills and training, employee wellbeing and changing technology will continue to be at the top of the list of challenges (opportunities!) as the next generation of logistics developments continue to emerge.
Could the development of drone tech, autonomous vehicles or the use of a subterranean pipe networks for the delivery or transfer of goods open up new opportunities for logistics developers?
What technological advances can help unlock more brownfield developments or sites with access issues, and what changes will we start to see in the uses of our larger sheds, with data centres rapidly on the rise as everything becomes more cloud based.
It’s an exciting time for our industry, and we must seize every opportunity to be the very best we can be across the entire spectrum of planning, delivery and operations within the logistics sector.
Overall, the Conference was highly engaging, and we really enjoyed the presentations and discussions. Some great new contacts were made and we hope it was just as worthwhile for everyone else involved. You can check out future events at the Built Environment Networking website.