Industrial & Logistics 2026: Reflections from the Property Week Industrial & Logistics Conference
Steve Duffy, Director at HNW Architects, attended the recent Property Week Industrial & Logistics Conference 2026 at the Kia Oval in London. The event was extremely well attended and provided a timely opportunity to reflect on where the sector now stands. The tone was pragmatic and focused, rather than overly speculative.
Industrial and Logistics continues to be a core sector for HNW Architects. Our work nationally spans small and mid-box schemes through to large-scale distribution facilities, urban logistics and strategic employment land, delivered both speculatively and for end-users. Each brings its own delivery and infrastructure challenges. What has changed is the emphasis. Conversations are now centred much earlier on planning certainty, power availability and long-term resilience, and these factors are increasingly shaping whether schemes progress, how they are funded, and how they are designed.
Three themes dominated discussion throughout the day: Planning, Power and Data Centres.
Three themes dominated discussion throughout the day: Planning, Power and Data Centres.
Planning: Strategy is Clear, Delivery Still Varies
There is clearer national direction of travel, with Industrial and Logistics increasingly recognised within planning reform and wider economic policy discussions. While the Government’s Industrial Strategy does not place explicit emphasis on the I&L sector, the broader top-down policy changes are generally moving in the right direction. The challenge remains translating intent into consistent delivery at local level.
As Jason Rockett, Managing Director at Potter Space, noted during the conference, this divergence is most apparent where schemes stall or key decisions are delayed.
From our own experience, early and structured planning engagement is essential. Consistency in approach and adequate resourcing within planning authorities materially affects programme, risk and ultimately the confidence of investors and occupiers.
There is clearer national direction of travel, with Industrial and Logistics increasingly recognised within planning reform and wider economic policy discussions. While the Government’s Industrial Strategy does not place explicit emphasis on the I&L sector, the broader top-down policy changes are generally moving in the right direction. The challenge remains translating intent into consistent delivery at local level.
As Jason Rockett, Managing Director at Potter Space, noted during the conference, this divergence is most apparent where schemes stall or key decisions are delayed.
From our own experience, early and structured planning engagement is essential. Consistency in approach and adequate resourcing within planning authorities materially affects programme, risk and ultimately the confidence of investors and occupiers.
Power: From Constraint to Strategic Determinant
Power emerged as a recurring theme across panels and conversations. Certainty over grid provision, capacity and deliverability is now influencing land values, investment readiness and site strategy at the outset, rather than later in the delivery cycle.
Dan Holford of SEGRO highlighted how clarity around provision could unlock significant capital, and wider discussions reinforced that grid timing, accountability and availability are now integral to viability conversations, and Womble Bond Dickinson’s Anthony Alderman made a valid point about the challenges on accountability, timing, availability and costs of power in the current system.
Within HNW’s own industrial portfolio, early coordination of utility strategy is increasingly shaping feasibility, massing decisions and programme. Power is no longer a downstream coordination issue; it is a primary strategic consideration.
Power emerged as a recurring theme across panels and conversations. Certainty over grid provision, capacity and deliverability is now influencing land values, investment readiness and site strategy at the outset, rather than later in the delivery cycle.
Dan Holford of SEGRO highlighted how clarity around provision could unlock significant capital, and wider discussions reinforced that grid timing, accountability and availability are now integral to viability conversations, and Womble Bond Dickinson’s Anthony Alderman made a valid point about the challenges on accountability, timing, availability and costs of power in the current system.
Within HNW’s own industrial portfolio, early coordination of utility strategy is increasingly shaping feasibility, massing decisions and programme. Power is no longer a downstream coordination issue; it is a primary strategic consideration.
Data Centres: Disruptor and Enabler
Data centres were described by Len Rosso, Head of Industrial & Logistics at Colliers, as a genuine “market disruptor”, particularly in the competition for land (value and availability) and grid capacity.
They are complementary to industrial and logistics in some respects, yet directly competing for the same constrained infrastructure in others. This tension is driving both friction and innovation in land strategy and masterplanning.
At the same time, the relationship between digital infrastructure and traditional logistics is becoming more interconnected. Industrial buildings themselves are increasingly data-driven environments, with automation, AI, thermal performance and real-time monitoring forming part of their operational DNA.
Data centres were described by Len Rosso, Head of Industrial & Logistics at Colliers, as a genuine “market disruptor”, particularly in the competition for land (value and availability) and grid capacity.
They are complementary to industrial and logistics in some respects, yet directly competing for the same constrained infrastructure in others. This tension is driving both friction and innovation in land strategy and masterplanning.
At the same time, the relationship between digital infrastructure and traditional logistics is becoming more interconnected. Industrial buildings themselves are increasingly data-driven environments, with automation, AI, thermal performance and real-time monitoring forming part of their operational DNA.
Normalised Demand and ESG-Led Definitions of “Prime”
Occupier take-up appears to be normalising at healthy levels for high-quality, well-located space, even as speculative development remains cautious without clarity on power, funding and long-term viability.
Current geopolitical events in the world are once again impacting parts of the sector, with obvious Defence-related SME demand increasing in various small and mid-box sized units, designed for maximum flexibility and adaptability.
The definition of “prime” has evolved. It now clearly encompasses Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) performance as a core requirement rather than an optional add-on. This aligns with the approach we have been taking across recent HNW projects, including our BREEAM Outstanding scheme for Kingsbridge at Ferne Park, where ESG performance, flexibility and long-term adaptability are recognised as baseline expectations rather than enhancements.
Occupier take-up appears to be normalising at healthy levels for high-quality, well-located space, even as speculative development remains cautious without clarity on power, funding and long-term viability.
Current geopolitical events in the world are once again impacting parts of the sector, with obvious Defence-related SME demand increasing in various small and mid-box sized units, designed for maximum flexibility and adaptability.
The definition of “prime” has evolved. It now clearly encompasses Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) performance as a core requirement rather than an optional add-on. This aligns with the approach we have been taking across recent HNW projects, including our BREEAM Outstanding scheme for Kingsbridge at Ferne Park, where ESG performance, flexibility and long-term adaptability are recognised as baseline expectations rather than enhancements.
Technology vs People: A Human-Led Sector
There was significant discussion around data, AI and building performance. How assets remain relevant. How occupiers evolve. How buildings respond to future requirements.
Yet despite the focus on technology, industrial and logistics remains fundamentally a people-led industry. Well-designed employment environments that genuinely work for occupiers, their teams and the surrounding communities continue to be the differentiator.
Placemaking, functional quality and human-centred design are inseparable from long-term performance. James Hemstock from Prologis remarked that with priorities rightly being around communication, placemaking and social impacts, tenants don’t need to accept ‘average’ anymore.
There was significant discussion around data, AI and building performance. How assets remain relevant. How occupiers evolve. How buildings respond to future requirements.
Yet despite the focus on technology, industrial and logistics remains fundamentally a people-led industry. Well-designed employment environments that genuinely work for occupiers, their teams and the surrounding communities continue to be the differentiator.
Placemaking, functional quality and human-centred design are inseparable from long-term performance. James Hemstock from Prologis remarked that with priorities rightly being around communication, placemaking and social impacts, tenants don’t need to accept ‘average’ anymore.
An Infrastructure-Led Market
The overarching takeaway is clear: the fundamentals remain. However, infrastructure risk, planning certainty, ESG performance and deliverability are increasingly the factors that determine which schemes are ultimately successfully realised, and which are not.
Industrial and Logistics has matured into a sector where technical rigour, resilience and long-term thinking define success, rather than short-term demand cycles alone.
As the sector continues to evolve, our focus at HNW remains on designing industrial and logistics environments that are deliverable, resilient and adaptable to future change.
The overarching takeaway is clear: the fundamentals remain. However, infrastructure risk, planning certainty, ESG performance and deliverability are increasingly the factors that determine which schemes are ultimately successfully realised, and which are not.
Industrial and Logistics has matured into a sector where technical rigour, resilience and long-term thinking define success, rather than short-term demand cycles alone.
As the sector continues to evolve, our focus at HNW remains on designing industrial and logistics environments that are deliverable, resilient and adaptable to future change.
March 2026