Thursday 24th September

Timings

8.30am – Breakfast, Networking and Registration

9.30am – Start of the main conference programme

1.00pm – Networking Lunch Session for speakers & attendees

2.00pm – Conference programme continues

4.15pm –  Conference Close and Sheds UK Drinks Reception on the Oval Cricket Ground terraces

Conference Agenda

Housekeeping & Introduction
Is the UK industrial market now through its most challenging period?
What are the key themes that will define the sector in 2027?

Investment & Funding
What is driving deal flow and what does the investment pipeline look like?
How is the changing pension fund landscape reshaping the investor base for logistics?
With prime and secondary assets diverging sharply, how are investors approaching asset selection?
How are investors generating returns in a more modest growth environment?

Fireside Chat – Leading Agents
Are we now at a genuine turning point for the occupier market?
Where are the strongest and weakest markets right now?
Is tightening supply now the key driver of rental growth rather than demand?
How is the widening gap between prime and secondary stock playing out on the ground?

State of the UK Big Sheds Market
What is driving demand at the large end of the market & where does the UK sit in European & Global markets?
How are global supply chain disruptions changing occupier behaviour around inventory and sourcing strategy?
How significant is reshoring and manufacturing demand as a structural shift for the big shed market?
What does the overall outlook for 2027 look like in terms of supply, rents and investment?

Last Mile Logistics, Future & Mixed Use
With out-of-home delivery growing rapidly, how is the urban logistics network having to adapt?
How are clean air zones and emission regulations reshaping fleet economics and hub location strategy?
Where are the most significant efficiency gains being found in last mile operations?
What is the realistic near-term role of new technology — drones, autonomous vehicles, robotics — in urban delivery?

Key Issues – Planning
How is recent planning legislation changing the landscape for industrial and logistics development?
Are current land allocations anywhere near sufficient to meet future demand from logistics, manufacturing and data infrastructure?
How are local authorities and strategic planners keeping pace with rapidly evolving occupier needs?
Where are the most contested planning battlegrounds between industrial development and competing land uses?

Key Issues – Defence
How big is the opportunity from increased defence spending?
How is the new defence procurement model creating different and more varied real estate requirements?
Where are the regional opportunities likely to be concentrated as reshoring and domestic supply chain investment accelerates?
How should the sector position itself to capture defence-related demand, and what are the barriers to moving quickly?

Key Issues – Power
How severe is the power constraint on industrial and logistics development, and which markets are most affected?
How are developers responding through on-site generation, storage and alternative energy solutions?
What are the cost and design implications of tightening carbon and energy standards for new development?
Is the power constraint beginning to redirect industrial investment towards different parts of the country?

Key Issues – Data Centres
How is the planning landscape for large-scale data centres changing, and what does this mean for the industrial land market?
Grid connection delays remain the defining constraint — how are developers working around this, and what do proposed reforms mean in practice?
With older industrial sites increasingly being targeted for data centre conversion, what does this mean for logistics supply?
How are developers responding to growing scrutiny of carbon, water use and community impact through the planning process?

Occupier Needs Panel
With occupiers prioritising operational efficiency over network expansion, what does a best-in-class facility look like today?
How is total occupancy cost — energy, ESG performance, staffing and maintenance — reshaping lease negotiations and asset specification?
How are labour availability, digital connectivity and workforce amenities influencing location strategy?
How are the requirements of e-commerce, 3PL, manufacturing and retail occupiers diverging, and which are most active?

Technology & Digital Transformation
How are AI, predictive analytics, robotics and digital platforms being applied across the logistics property sector?
How are landlords and developers keeping pace with rising occupier demands around smart building technology and automation-ready specification?
How is automation changing the design of new industrial buildings and the economics of older stock?
What role is technology playing in valuation, investment decision-making and asset management?

Developers & Operators Panel
What does the development pipeline look like for the next few years, and is there a risk of undersupply returning?
How are developers balancing the rising cost of sustainability compliance against tenant affordability and investment viability?
Is refurbishment and retrofitting of older industrial assets becoming a more attractive proposition relative to new build?
How are geopolitical risks and trade uncertainty influencing development strategy and occupier demand?