West Northamptonshire has most warehouses in UK say ONS

Northamptonshire is popular choice for warehousing due to location and road and rail links

The area with the highest amount of warehousing is now synonymous with logistics, business leaders have said.

According to figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS), West Northamptonshire has the most transport and storage premises in the UK.

Neighbouring North Northamptonshire had the third highest.

Sara Homer, from the Brackmills Business Improvement District, said the county was "the place to be" for logistics.

The ONS said growth in online shopping has contributed to an increase in the number of warehouses and other logistics premises.

It said transport and storage had accelerated in the last two years, following Brexit and the coronavirus pandemic.

West Northamptonshire had the highest number of business premises occupied by transport and storage with 3,200, while North Northamptonshire had 2,700, the ONS said.

Both areas have also seen a rise in the percentage of premises used for logistics in the last 10 years, and were now both in the top 10 in the UK by that measure.

A complex of three warehouses in the Brackmills area of Northampton hopes to provide 900 jobs

Ms Homer said: "We are logistics, getting things from A to B is what we are all about."

Northamptonshire has the M1 and the A14 running through it, is close to the M40 and M6 and has the Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal (DIRFT), with another rail freight terminal being built near Northampton.

Howard Wilson from StarTech said the Canadian company, which provides parts for the IT industry, chose Northampton as it UK base because it had "good infrastructure and there's the right kind of building stock".

But Sean Rose from the Northamptonshire Chamber of Commerce said an emphasis on logistics meant "there is concern other businesses will struggle to grow".

He said other industries could be "priced out of the market" for new premises.