Prologis expands urban logistics scheme in London

Industrial and logistics specialist Prologis is planning to expand its Prologis Park Beddington Lane scheme in Croydon, South London, following the acquisition of an adjacent 4.5 acre site.

Oliver Bycroft, Vice President in the leasing and development team at Prologis UK, said: “The importance of the logistics sector to the health and wealth of the nation has been highlighted during the ongoing pandemic.

“With the volume of online sales unlikely to drop back to pre-Covid levels, finding available logistics space close to urban centres such as London will become more challenging.”

Over the past 18 months, the property company has invested over half a billion pounds in London and the Home Counties, to ensure it can provide the urban logistics facilities its customers need, and continues to invest in this important urban logistics location.

“The UK retail market is changing, as more and more people order goods online; because of this, our customers, who include household retail names such as Amazon, Argos and John Lewis, need logistics facilities close to where people live and work, so they can fulfil deliveries of goods ordered online efficiently and sustainably.

“Online sales as a percentage of total retail sales jump from just 18% in February 2020 to 32.8% in May.

“We are in the process of working up our proposed scheme, although there is currently a window of opportunity for us to tailor the layout to meet the requirements of individual occupiers. We are conscious that many, particularly e-commerce, last mile, and parcel operators, have specific needs and we are keen to keep an open mind and explore these types of requirements further.”

SHW has been retained by Prologis as letting agents for the scheme.