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The
principle of
consolidation
could be of
benefit to
London,
improving
efficiency
and reducing
traffic
The construction of 22 Bishopsgate will also see a consolidation
centre employed for the delivery of construction materials.
Image: The Architects’ Journal
the operation, leading to significant demand around the
outer ring road and arterial routes into the capital.
The parcel hub bucks the trend for high density
development in locations of constrained land supply.
Sites need to be able to accommodate parking for a huge
number of small delivery vehicles prior to being loaded.
Traditional industrial units do not have the parking
capacity for this type of operation and therefore either
a bespoke unit is required, or the current building stock
needs to be adapted. Some online retailers have resorted
to using the inside of buildings as van parking, due to a
lack of external space.
Amazon’s success brings an imperative to consolidate
deliveries. Due to the extent of the range, different
product lines are stored in geographically diverse
distribution centres across the country. A customer
order of three items, could potentially be coming
from distribution centres in Swansea, Daventry and
Dunfermline. To avoid three separate deliveries there is an
economic incentive to combine the order at some point
prior to final mile of the delivery.
The principle of consolidation could be of benefit to
London, improving efficiency and reducing traffic on
the roads. London’s Regent Street already operates a
consolidation centre scheme for a number of retailers on
the street. Product from multiple retailers is delivered to
Clipper Logistics’ site in Enfield before being combined
to a single load and then delivered to the various stores
on the street. The participants of the scheme saw an 80%
reduction in the number of individual deliveries, through
the use of the consolidation centre.
The construction of 22 Bishopsgate, will also see
a consolidation centre employed for the delivery of
construction materials and this operation will continue
for the delivery of supplies once the building is in use.
This has the potential to become an increasingly used
planning requirement for high density development and
if so will only increase the need for further distribution
facilities to meet demand.
This is a fast evolving sector and there is the potential
for significant further change. Deliveroo and Uber now
have a vast capacity and could form part of the final mile
solution in the future. Whatever the transport mode of
the final step in the delivery chain, there will always be a
need to be some form of distribution hub from which the
final mile can begin, and our challenge as an industry is
to delivery these.
CUSHMAN & WAKEFIELD
26
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