Integrating warehouses into the urban landscape

Discussions about the shape and functioning of urban agglomerations are frequently held in public debate. Among the urban planning concepts gaining popularity is the ‘15-minute city’ – a vision of urban life in which residents can access all key services and amenities, such as workplaces, schools, healthcare, shops and recreational areas, within a quarter of an hour walk or bike ride from their homes. This human-centred approach to city design emphasises sustainability, aiming to create more liveable and environmentally conscious urban environments. In this context, the strategic location of urban warehouses is becoming increasingly important. As cities strive to accommodate the rising demands of last-mile delivery, especially in e-commerce, these facilities play a crucial role in ensuring timely access to goods and supporting the seamless operation of smart city infrastructure.

Not just big boxes
Warehouses are usually associated with ‘big box’ facilities and vast parks located far from city centres, visible from highways, at key road intersections. However, small business units (SBUs) are becoming an increasingly important part of the urban landscape, and a trend that is a positive sign of the city’s adaptation to the demands of the modern economy.

Urban warehouses offer flexible spaces that can be adapted to diverse business needs, from storage to light manufacturing. They are crucial for last-mile logistics, as they enable rapid deliveries to end customers. The ongoing growth of e-commerce is driving demand for these types of spaces, facilitating efficient inventory management. However, their role extends far beyond serving companies in this sector. They serve many industries including food, pharmaceutical and retail, facilitating the efficient storage and distribution of goods in an urban environment.

Capital of capacity: SBUs in Warsaw
Currently, the Warsaw market remains the leader in urban warehouse development in Poland, with around 1 million m² of modern industrial and logistics space. Since the 2000s, the fastest-growing districts have been Okęcie and Białołęka. The expansion of road infrastructure has further enabled the development of warehouse hubs around Ożarów, Janki, Nadarzyn, and Grodzisk Mazowiecki, while opening up new directions to the north and east of the city.

Furthermore, in the commercial real estate market, we are observing a growing demand for space needed to store and process digital data. Most Polish data centres are currently being built in Warsaw and its surrounding areas, with large post-industrial sites undergoing transformation and becoming available for alternative uses. SEGRO owns such land in Warsaw’s Bielany district. We have extensive expertise as a developer of data centres. For over twenty years, we have managed the largest cluster of data centres in Europe at Slough Trading Estate, located near London, where there are over 30 in operation, and more are planned. We are confident that we can successfully leverage our knowledge and experience to develop this type of asset in the Polish market as well.

Sustainable development and beyond
Urban warehouses are often located on post-industrial sites, helping to revitalise these areas. In Warsaw, this is clearly visible at SEGRO Park Warsaw, Żerań, where modern, energy-efficient buildings are replacing outdated infrastructure, supporting sustainable urban development. Increasingly, such facilities are designed in line with ESG principles, resulting in lower emissions and a more responsible approach to the environment.

The urban location also enables fast and environmentally friendly deliveries, with minimal or even zero carbon footprint. In Paris, SEGRO transformed the former Gobelins freight station into a modern logistics centre, where part of the space was leased to a company specialising in bicycle logistics. An additional advantage of urban warehouses, in addition to logistical and environmental benefits, is easier access to a skilled workforce, which is of great importance to many companies.

Today, the warehouse sector is increasingly aware of the needs of modern city dwellers, and small business units are an important answer to some of them.