Research Project:  Arup University, Arup 

Many industrial parks use their land inefficiently and unsustainably, devoting vast swathes of land to carparks, meandering roadways and excess hardstanding. As the race to identify sites for homes accelerates, it is a timely moment to look with fresh eyes at whether these large-scale sites could contribute to a solution to the housing crisis, while providing economic drivers and treating the planet more considerately. The pandemic highlighted that people are keen to reduce time spent commuting. Many of these ‘parks’ are near rail stations. Employees – and employers – want these districts to offer what any well-balanced neighbourhood should offer: a mix of uses including residential, sustainable recreational and open space, flexible internal and external spaces and animated streetscapes that support active travel, collaboration and knowledge sharing. 

A central tenet of this study is that the intensification and diversification of industrial parks does not displace industry jobs.  

National and international case studies were studied to draw out a set of principles, and in turn, guidance.  It is noteworthy that there is not an abundance of fully realised precedents. The study was done in two parts. Part I focused on the spatial approach to intensification, resulting in a set of urban design principles that were applied to an existing industrial park. Part II broadens the investigation to ensure a holistic and multidisciplinary approach is brought to the challenge – planning policy, economic development, transport planning and logistics and a greater focus on sustainability and retrofit inform the study.  A greater breadth of ‘lessons’ – translated into principles and guidance – are then applied to the same site demonstrating a way forward as we make better use of already developed land in an optimal geographic location. 

Lessons learned 

The lessons learned broadly fell into the following categories:  connectivity, urban from and public realm, land use, sustainability and planning, economic development and governance.  The principles are often those one would expect is best practice in the masterplanning of any development, such as:   

• blue and green networks should be capitalised upon to integrate the site both internally and externally, providing options for active travel;  

• activation of the ground floor should be promoted to provide natural surveillance; and,  

• the densest development should be closest to the transport node.   

However, there are often added complexities or opportunities:  

• circulation patterns must design out conflicts between HGVs and cyclists and pedestrians;  

• industrial activities must become ‘good neighbours’, i.e. landscape and/or non-residential buildings should provide a buffer between housing and noise-producing activities;   

• hardstanding surfaces should be considered to host recreational activities when the space is not being used for logistics.   

Sustainability and building retrofit are key. Industrial parks are generally particularly ‘un-park like’ having had waterways and green space covered up or obliterated.  The intensification exercise is an opportunity to daylight waterways, introduce sustainable water management systems, harvest rainwater, and implement SUDs that also can trace pedestrian routes.  In realising the tenet towards no net loss of industry the adaptive reuse of buildings is critical and provides the opportunity to both optimise materials usage and provide public frontages. 

Finally, it emerged clearly from the case studies that some of the most successful intensification and diversification efforts were thanks to public and private sector cooperation or where the public authority was empowered to assemble land and then transfer it to public or private users. This was often best implemented through a partnership structure that could both coordinate up front engineering works to make sites ready and provide ongoing stewardship.  As well, innovative financing structures can ensure there is not a negative impact on land values as uses change; and, leases need to be flexible to encourage start-ups. Levers governments can utilise are public-private partnerships (PPPs), flexible zoning/planning, streamlined permitting, tax credits and subsidies for innovation and green retrofitting. 

Learning into practice 

The principles and their associated guidance are applied to a site, ultimately illustrating what an intensified industrial park might look like and the policy and planning mechanisms that would need to be in place. A site to the south of Leeds city centre offered the context of a business park, traditional industrial sheds, a new train station, is adjacent to green belt land, low density residential and a shopping centre.  With respect to the latter, we limited our study to intensifying the edges of that site, noting that the transition to more sustainable transport would have a positive impact all round.  The application includes four degrees of intervention: retention, retrofit, redevelopment and new development. The project is limited in scope as we do not have resource to fully investigate the existing uses and tenures as one would on a live project, but it already reveals that retrofitting both the buildings and the spaces between buildings creates a more humane and sustainable environment for both employees and residents, while providing much needed housing, reducing private car usage and restoring green and blue networks.   

NOTE:  Part II is still in progress therefore images shared relate to Part I