Real estate advisor Avison Young has reported that take‑up of UK Grade A Big Box space rose 37% year‑on‑year in Q1 2026 to 6.9 million ft².
The analysis comes from Avison Young’s latest Big Box Bulletin, with the increased uptake equating to almost three times higher than the previous quarter.
The bulletin reported that occupier demand has continued to focus on established industrial hubs, with the East Midlands the principal region of activity, accounting for 50% of total take‑up.
The availability of space rose to 59.7 million ft² in Q1 2026, a 5.9% increase on the previous quarter, while speculative Grade A space continues to form most of the availability (55%).
Additionally, smaller units (100,000ft²–399,999ft²) account for around 87% of all available properties, pointing to a growing mismatch between occupier demand and unit availability, Avison Young reports.
Demand was highest for spaces over 500,000ft², as reflected in the largest transactions, which included MitLog Logistics (550,000ft²) and DHL (514,193ft²).
Prime headline rents across all UK regions held firm in Q1, following average growth of around 4% during 2025, reflecting a mature and broadly stable occupational market.
Avison Young principal and managing director, industrial and logistics, David Wilmer, said: “The Big Box market has started 2026 on the front foot, with take‑up rebounding strongly after a quieter end to last year.
“Momentum has returned, driven by third‑party logistics operators, while the East Midlands continues to stand out as the go‑to location for large‑scale requirements.
“Although availability has increased, it remains heavily skewed towards smaller units, which is still constraining choice for occupiers seeking larger, Grade A space.
“Prime rents have stabilised following the growth seen through 2025, pointing to a market that is fundamentally well balanced from an occupational standpoint.
“Investment activity has been more hesitant at the start of the year, reflecting geopolitical uncertainty and a cautious macroeconomic backdrop.
“That said, market fundamentals remain strong, and we expect leasing activity over the full year to broadly mirror 2025 levels.”
