Logistics: A Land-Use Planning Issue

“ We firmly believe that logistics is a land-use planning issue, not simply one of transport and economic development. For more than 20 years, our association has been working on the spatial dimension of logistics, at the intersection of sites and the flows that connect them .”

It would be difficult to send a clearer message than the one delivered by Claude Samson, President of Afilog—the professional association representing logistics real estate and supply chain stakeholders—at the opening of the AMF meeting on March 8. Bringing together elected officials and logistics management stakeholders for discussion and exchange, the event included several elected officials as well as industry organizations such as Cerema, the National Federation of Urban Planning Agencies (Fnau), the Group of Transport Authorities (Gart), and Afilog.

All share the same observation: the proper integration of logistics activities has become a crucial issue for municipalities and local areas. “ Today, local authorities have taken responsibility for land-use planning within cities, but they face four constraints: historically dense urban fabric; the growth of e-commerce; the importance of low-emission zones; and the State’s desire to reduce the prominence of logistics in our business parks ,” explains Frédéric Cuillerier, co-chair of the AMF mobility committee and mayor of Saint-Ay (45). Sylvain Robert—his counterpart in Lens (62) and co-chair of the AMF planning committee—has made the same observation, witnessing strong growth in road traffic in his area. “ While there is no simple solution to the rise in online purchasing, the challenge is to anticipate the coming congestion .”

For his part, Pierre-Alain Roiron—co-chair of the AMF economic development committee and mayor of Langeais (37)—points out that the transport and delivery of goods “ generate costs for local authorities ” (roads, etc.) and therefore believes it is necessary to undertake “ a comprehensive reflection on logistics ”. Yet far from the persistent image of a “necessary evil” sometimes associated with logistics, it is a “necessary good,” according to Claude Samson. It is the thread that connects every citizen, whatever their location, to equivalent products and amenities.

Elected officials, public institutions, and businesses therefore appear determined to work together to fully incorporate logistics development into tomorrow’s land-use planning strategies. Especially since the sector’s image has changed. “ During COVID-19, citizens and elected officials began to see logistics differently. We realized it was present in our cities, and that was a turning point,” explains Zoé Chaloin, urban planning officer at FNAU. So how should this be done?

All speakers advocate consultation as close as possible to the ground, and therefore to concrete issues. “ Whatever consultations we may have with the State, the reality is on the ground, in local areas and municipalities. We are working on decarbonizing logistics buildings, but if they are not properly located, it is absolutely pointless. A building that is too far from the area it serves, however green it may be, is counterproductive ,” Claude Samson summarizes. The key to truly green logistics is the proper location of facilities.

That is the theory; now it remains to put it into practice in local areas. “ Urban logistics has always existed, in the sense that goods have always moved through cities. But elected officials have now recognized the need to integrate it into public policy for the city to function properly, particularly in planning policies, states Ivan Slastanova, project officer at GART. The Paris metropolitan area brings together every issue that can arise, notably major flows in a constrained and limited space, which should not prevent other areas—where constraints do not yet exist—from taking an interest in the matter. ” The solutions currently in favor? Route-optimization software, shared transport resources among companies, low-emission vehicles, modal shifts, and more.

Among exemplary local areas, Frédéric Cuillerier cites the city of Grenoble, which has been a partner in a “Sustainable Urban Logistics” action plan since 2015. He also cites Greater Nancy, whose Territorial Logistics Plan (SLT) was designed and led by industry professionals. To make progress on these issues, elected officials can rely on the InTerLUD program, extended for four years and renamed LUD+ last January. “ It is aimed at local authorities and offers them the opportunity to benefit from Cerema’s assistance in applying a methodology—including training for technical staff and support for elected officials—as well as assistance from Logistic Low Carbon to bring together all the relevant economic stakeholders ,” explains Hélène de Solere, project manager at Cerema.

Lastly, the ultimate key challenge in sustainable logistics and land-use planning is undoubtedly raising citizens’ awareness. In particular, this means addressing the contradiction that leads some consumers to complain about delivery-related nuisances in their neighborhoods while making extensive use of home delivery. Local authorities can, for example, encourage the use of pickup points or self-service lockers, which have a more positive impact on transport. “ Is it really necessary to order a toothbrush at three in the morning? The climate crisis should make us ask the right questions, and I think that as elected officials, we have messages to convey to citizens ,” says Alain Chrétien, co-chair of the AMF economic development committee and mayor of Vesoul (70).

Encouraging local consultation, drawing inspiration from best practices, raising public awareness… The shared roadmap for elected officials and logistics professionals over the coming years is already clearly laid out. All that remains is to give it a truly operational form, rooted in the realities of local areas.

All comments collected by Maire-Info except those of Claude Samson, Hélène de Solere, and Ivan Slastanova.