Leicester and Leicestershire Strategic Distribution Study

This Study about the strategic warehousing and logistics sector in the county was jointly commissioned by the Leicester & Leicestershire authorities and the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership. The study has been prepared by G L Hearn in partnership with MDS Transmodal and Iceni Projects.

The study provides a comprehensive and up to date analysis of the strategic distribution sector, defined as units of 9,000sqm and above, and the factors which will impact on its future operation. In addition to using data from a wide range of sources, the consultant team engaged with developers and agents to gain insight into the operation of the property market for this sector. An important output of the study is the assessment of how much additional floorspace is likely to be needed for rail-served and road-served strategic distribution covering the period 2020 to 2041.

A number of previous studies have been prepared on this subject, dating back to 2013. This latest study provides a comprehensive updated position with respect to the future need for floorspace and the quantum of additional land needed to accommodate it and effectively supersedes the findings in those earlier studies.

The study will form part of the evidence base for the Leicester and Leicestershire authorities’ Local Plans. The authorities will continue their joint working on this subject with the aim of agreeing how the need for additional floorspace can best be addressed within the county. Subject to this, it will be for individual authorities to make specific provision for the sector in their own Local Plans as appropriate.

Warehousing and Logistics in Leicester and Leicestershire: managing growth and change (April 2021) (PDF Document, 2.77 Mb)

Previous studies

MDS Transmodal and Savills were commissioned in December 2013 by the Leicester and Leicestershire authorities to undertake the Leicester and Leicestershire Strategic Distribution Study (SDS). The main objectives of the study were to enable a better understanding of the strategic distribution sector and objectively determine future need, together with managing change and supporting sustainable economic growth. 

The study was undertaken in three phases, as follows:

• Part A: Review and Research;

• Part B: Planning for Change and Growth; and

• Part C: Developing a Strategy for the Distribution Sector in Leicestershire.

An interim report covering Part A of the study was presented to the authorities in Spring 2014. It essentially presented a ‘baseline’ position with regards to the distribution sector in Leicestershire.

A second interim report covering Part B of the study was presented in early Summer 2014. It concerned planning for change and growth, and included land use forecasts for the strategic distribution sector in Leicestershire and the East Midlands alongside recommended broad areas where future demand would be best located.

A Final report (Part C) was agreed in late 2014, which took into account and was supported by the findings of Parts A and B. It developed a recommended strategy designed to maintain and enhance the county’s established competitive advantage and enable growth for the strategic distribution sector in Leicestershire.

In June 2016, Harborough District Council, as part of the work on preparing their Local Plan, commissioned a re-fresh of some of the outputs contained in the Leicester and Leicestershire SDS reports together with a requirement for clarifications on number of the conclusions reached and recommendations. As a result, MDS Transmodal were commissioned in June 2016 to undertake further consultancy work related to these updates and clarifications.

Three separate but inter-linked scopes of work were subsequently drafted, namely:

• Scope A: Clarifications on conclusions and recommendations;

• Scope B: Update and re-fresh of outputs and conclusions; and

• Scope C: Wider market developments and implications for Leicestershire