As a result of Covid-19, demand for warehousing in the East Midlands will accelerate, according to a property expert. Dr Andrew Knight, dean of Nottingham Trent University’s School of Architecture Design and the Built Environment, said online retailers, buoyed by a doubling of sales during lockdown, will build more hubs in the region because of its central location and proximity to the national motorway network.

“Distribution warehousing has enjoyed several good years on the back on click and collect, but this is likely to have been accelerated by Covid-19. The likes of Amazon continue to hoover-up logistics warehousing and smaller local ‘last-mile’ delivery sites,” said Knight.

Commentators are also predicting an increase in demand from manufacturers eager to stockpile parts closer to their factories after the lockdown exposed the fragility of overseas supply chains.

Knight was speaking ahead of judging the East Midlands Property Dinner awards. The deadline for entries is 9 July.

The gala dinner, which this year marks its 20th anniversary, takes place on 10 September at the De Vere East Midlands Conference Centre, Nottingham. Companies and projects will compete across ten categories to be crowned the region’s real estate royalty.

For the second year, the event will include the Residential Developer of the Year category, while a Lifetime Achievement Award will also be given to a person who has made a major contribution to the sector. The event gives businesses the opportunity to showcase their achievements at a time when they face major challenges from the impact of the Covid-19 crisis.

Agent of the Year
Client Adviser of the Year
Construction Project of the Year
Design Excellence Award
Developer of the Year
Property Deal of the Year
Regeneration and Restoration Project of the Year
Residential Developer of the Year
Skills and Apprenticeship Scheme of the Year
Sustainable Development Award