Will multi-storey sheds ever get off the ground?

In the UK, the true concept of multi-storey sheds has yet to get off the ground. We often see tall single storey warehouses with a mezzanine floor, but we are not in keeping with some European and Asian markets where it is not uncommon to see warehouses with multiple levels. Carter Jonas reported in July 2022 that the tallest warehouse currently comprises 22 storeys, so will the UK ever follow this trend?

A survey for our recent “Outside the Box: Supporting an Industrial Evolution” paper found that 52% of respondents have seen an increase in developer appetite for the concept of multi-storey sheds in the past year and 77% believe that multi-storey sheds will play a large role in the UK logistics sector in the future.

With competition for land and the acceleration of last mile demand, combined with ever improving technology to support the transfer of goods and vehicles between levels and population growth across London and other major UK cities leading to supply chain issues, against a backdrop of planning constraints, developers may be forced to build up rather than out.

However, multi-storey sheds are not without their challenges, namely keeping all occupiers happy and managing competing interests. Capable of being divided vertically and horizontally for different uses and operations, occupiers will need certainty that they have access between storeys and should, for example, a ramp become blocked or a lift malfunction, occupiers will want to understand what their “Plan B” looks like in order to facilitate their commercial needs and minimise any disruption to their business. Consideration will also need to be given to the design from a structural and operational perspective, as well as through a sustainability and future proofing lens to ensure that these developments will be attractive to investors and stand the test of time.

For multi-storey warehouses to become a solution to some of the challenges facing the sector, there will need to be buy-in from developers, investors and occupiers, as well as other parties with a vested interest, such as local authorities and adjoining land owners. It won’t simply be a one size fits all solution, and as flagged in our report, “Developers will no doubt weigh up in each case whether the inclusion of a mezzanine adequately solves the issue of local land availability” and “how the space can be used in a manner which both enhances a tenant’s experience and preserves asset value for landlords.”

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Nadine Gibbon

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