However, as Tessa English, associate director of UK research at JLL, notes, 2017’s take-up figure was the lowest recorded over the past five years.

Retailers were the most active occupiers, accounting for 39% of take-up in the first nine months of the year, followed by third-party logistics companies, which represented 37%. About 30% of total grade-A logistics floorspace taken during the period was for the purpose of dedicated online fulfilment.