Industrial land is critical to London’s economy, jobs and to help us reach net-zero targets. But the city has lost almost a quarter of its industrial floorspace in the last 20 years.
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About the event
From food manufacturing, construction, warehouses, and transport logistics, industrial land houses important activities that service the daily lives of Londoners. But the transition to a service-based economy – and the almost unquenchable demand for homes in London – has led to the swallowing up of many hundreds of hectares of industrial land.
Only half of what remains is subject to the strongest policy protections in strategic industrial locations. As a result, the competition for industrial premises in the capital has intensified, along with a steep increase in land values and rents. The loss of industrial space is also putting pressure on jobs.
Centre for London convened an independent Industrial Land Commission to provide fresh thinking on the future of London’s industrial land. Chaired by Liz Peace CBE, Chairman of the Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation, the Commission was made up of senior experts including local authorities, landowners and occupiers.
Upon hearing the findings of the Commission’s report, our expert speakers discussed:
- The role industrial land plays in London’s economy, and how it’s changing.
- How we balance the need for industrial land with other uses.
- How London can optimise its use of industrial land, and in what capacity can local, city and national government support this.
Speakers
- Chair: Liz Peace CBE, Chair of Trustees at Centre for London and Chairman of the Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation.
- Presentation by Nicolas Bosetti, Head of Data and Insight, Centre for London.
- Rajesh Agrawal, Deputy Mayor of London for Business.
- Sarah Cary, Executive Director for Place, London Borough of Enfield.
- Amarachi Clarke, Founder, Lucocoa Chocolate.
- Alan Holland, Managing Director (Greater London), SEGRO.