Freight and logistics

TR5: Freight and logistics 1. Proposals which facilitate modal shift to rail freight will be supported. 2. Facilities that enable sustainable freight activity and first mile / last mile solutions, in accordance with the adopted Local Transport Plan, will be supported. 3. Smart warehousing through retrofitting of existing stock will be supported. 4. New proposals (temporary or permanent) for freight and logistics movements should not have a significant detrimental impact on the local area. 5. Developments with retail or food-retail must ensure suitable access arrangements, loading and unloading facilities are provided. 6. Employment sites must have suitable facilities and access arrangements for ongoing freight deliveries. 7.322 Local authorities are required to plan for the modern economy; this includes freight and logistics. Freight is essential for servicing industry, communities, and supporting economic development. The Council is working on updating its Freight strategy alongside the Local Transport Plan 5. 7.323 The transportation of goods by freight (road and rail) plays a key role in servicing Buckinghamshire’s industry, communities and enabling our growth and economic development. Freight offers our residents choice as consumers and businesses: allowing them to grow, thrive and develop. 7.324 As identified in our draft Freight and Logistics Strategy, the Council supports the modal shift to rail freight to help reduce transport emissions and vehicle traffic in our towns and villages. Modal shift to rail will also support national decarbonisation targets and the Office of Rail and Road’s freight growth forecasts. The Council will continue to work with partners to prioritise rail freight infrastructure investment and protect strategic freight sites where appropriate. A revised freight and logistics strategy is being prepared to support LTP5. 7.325 Whilst we recognise the importance of road freight, there are also local challenges with the movement of goods by road. This includes freights contribution to transport carbon emissions and local traffic or road safety issues. Therefore, where deliveries are required, developments need to ensure appropriate access, loading and unloading arrangements. The draft Freight and Logistics Strategy highlights that we will work to make Construction Traffic Management Plans a default requirement for all planning proposals of a significant scale or where there is a reasonable expectation that there would be a risk of disruption to the local community during the construction phase. We will also support measures to enable sustainable deliveries and contribution towards our net zero ambitions. 7.326 As the most established modern economy presence within Buckinghamshire (freight and logistics dominate the employment figures at both the Buckinghamshire and national level, representing 72.1% of modern economy roles in Buckinghamshire in 2023), there are many businesses within the wider freight and logistics supply chain. Most prominently, these businesses are wholesalers, including pharmaceuticals, food and agricultural products, and office machinery and equipment. These businesses are positioned along key road connections, with clusters in and around the main settlements and business parks. 7.327 The Council is involved in developing a regional freight strategy as part of its involvement in England’s Economic Heartland. Buckinghamshire’s relative lack of strategic freight infrastructure such as ports, airports, and rail freight terminals limits its potential comparative advantage in the sector. Conversely, logistics, which includes warehousing and storage, demonstrates considerably stronger demand conditions, indicative of excess demand for logistics services. 7.328 The Employment Land Review Modern Economy Report has concluded that there is a need for smart warehousing via retrofitting of existing stock (pre-2000 for most) which would improve their efficiency through digitalisation and automation.