LONDON-Proponents of railway transportation are cheering plans by ProLogis to develop a 2.1-million-sf, rail-serviced distribution park in southeast London. The 158-acre complex, to be called ProLogis Park Howbury, will include a new intermodal facility and four large-scale industrial warehouses.

Freight on Rail, a partnership of British rail operators, described the proposal as good for the economy and good for the environment. "The Howbury Park interchange will be an important part of the network of strategic rail freight interchanges needed to ensure that rail freight can play its full role in serving the economy by distributing goods in a fast reliable manner as well as alleviating road congestion and reducing carbon emissions," officials from Freight on Rail explain in a prepared statement.

A Freight on Rail spokeswoman adds that "we view Howbury Park as essential for the success of rail freight movement to, from and across London, and a key part of implementing government strategy for promoting rail freight. Rail freight has a crucial role to play in delivering a carbon-friendly transport policy in line with the Department for Transport's framework to deliver a low carbon transport policy. Just visualize that an average freight train can remove 50 HGVs [Heavy Goods Vehicles] from our roads."

ProLogis Park Howbury is the first of several rail-served distribution parks the company plans to develop at key road and rail intersections throughout the UK. The rail infrastructure planned will connect to major freight routes, seaports and other rail-served logistics parks throughout the country, as well as a pan-European network of existing rail-served facilities. Construction on the park is slated to begin early this year.

"Companies with logistics requirements are increasingly realizing the environmental, commercial and operational advantages of moving product by rail," says Andrew Griffiths, managing director for ProLogis in the UK, in a prepared statement. "Rail freight produces less greenhouse gas emissions, provides fuel cost savings and reduces delays related to congested road travel."

ProLogis recently received planning approval for ProLogis Park Howbury from the UK government, which last year announced its policies for sustainable distribution within the country. This includes the transfer of the transportation of goods from road to rail freight as a fundamental requirement.

ProLogis Park Howbury will be the third rail freight interchange owned by ProLogis in the UK. The company also owns and manages Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal, a two million-sf park, and ProLogis Park Coventry, a 1.5-million-sf park located in the West Midlands. ProLogis also has land positions capable of supporting another 12 million sf of new, rail-served development.

ProLogis Park Howbury will be developed approximately 12 miles from central London. Specific environmental design techniques to be used include photovoltaic panels to harvest solar energy, rain water harvesting to reduce water consumption and water-efficient irrigation. This includes using grey water to irrigate approximately 130 acres of environmentally sensitive marshland surrounding the new park, which ProLogis plans to enhance with pathways and a visitor center for public use.