m2 to ft2

UK Warehouse Size Calculator 2026: Small, Medium, Large, Mega

Updated 5 May 2026

27.97m sq ft — UK 100k+ take-up in 2024

Source: Savills Industrial & Logistics 2024. Up 1% on 2023, 8% above the pre-Covid average.

Avg BTS 2023

333k sq ft

B8 density

70 m²/FTE

Use Class

B8 / B2

GIA vs NIA in Warehousing

GIA (used for leases and market data)

Warehouse lettings, business rates and market take-up statistics all use GIA (Gross Internal Area). At 95-98% efficiency, GIA and usable area are nearly identical in a warehouse — columns and plant are minimal compared with offices.

NIA (rarely used in warehousing)

NIA is used for office lettings and per-person calculations. Employment density ratios in the Homes England guide (70 sqm/FTE for B8) use GIA. If you see a per-FTE figure for warehousing, it is almost always GIA.

The UK logistics market has undergone two decades of structural upscaling. The average build-to-suit warehouse grew from 297,000 sq ft in 2015 to 333,000 sq ft by 2023 (Savills UKWA Report 2024), driven by e-commerce consolidation, robotics investment requiring high-bay racking and level floors, and the shift from store replenishment to direct-to-consumer fulfilment. At the same time, urban “last mile” demand is growing a separate market for small units under 500 sqm near city centres.

For occupiers assessing their requirement, the key question is which band fits the operation. A 200 sqm trade counter unit is not just a smaller version of a 50,000 sqm national DC — it is a different product, in a different location, on a different lease structure and Use Class. The size bands below reflect the working classification used by Savills, CBRE and UKWA in their annual market reports.

UK Warehouse Size Bands (GIA)

Small / trade unit

200-500 m²

2k-5k ft²

Use Class

B8 / E(g)(ii)

Employment density

70 sqm GIA/FTE (B8); 36 sqm GIA/FTE (B2)

Examples

Local builder's merchant; florist wholesale; small e-commerce fulfilment.

Trade counters, light manufacturing, self-storage operators, last-mile delivery depots, craft breweries.

Medium unit

500-2,000 m²

5k-22k ft²

Use Class

B8 / B2

Employment density

70 sqm GIA/FTE (B8 distribution)

Examples

Online retailer in a 1,000 sqm regional hub; frozen food wholesaler.

Regional distribution, e-commerce SME fulfilment, food wholesalers, automotive parts.

Large unit

2,000-9,290 m²

22k-100k ft²

Use Class

B8

Employment density

70 sqm GIA/FTE (B8); final-mile 40-50 sqm GIA/FTE

Examples

Mid-size 3PL at 5,000 sqm; supermarket satellite DC.

Wholesalers, food distributors, regional 3PL, retail chain DCs.

Big-box / shed (100k+ sq ft)

9,290-46,450 m²

100k-500k ft²

Use Class

B8

Employment density

70 sqm GIA/FTE

Examples

DHL regional DC at 15,000 sqm; fashion retailer national DC.

National distribution centres. Motorway-network locations (M1, M6 corridors, Golden Triangle). 2024 take-up dominated this tier.

Mega-shed / XXL (500k+ sq ft)

46,450-185,800 m²

500k-2.0m ft²

Use Class

B8

Employment density

Automated mega-sheds can run 120-200+ sqm/FTE

Examples

Amazon BHX2 Coventry c. 111,000 sqm; Ocado Erith c. 37,000 sqm.

Amazon fulfilment centres, M&S Castle Donington-style hubs, grocery BTS for Ocado/Tesco.

UK Industrial & Logistics Market: 2024 Data (Savills)

MetricValue
Average BTS unit size (2023)333,000 sq ft / 30,940 sqm
Average BTS unit size (2015)297,000 sq ft / 27,590 sqm
100k+ sq ft take-up (2024)27.97 million sq ft
Grade-A big-box leasing (2024)21.2 million sq ft (+11% YoY)
Manufacturing share of take-up (2024)32%
2024 vs pre-Covid average take-up+8% above pre-Covid average

Use Class Context: B2, B8 — Unchanged by 2020 Reform

Unlike retail and offices, B2 (General Industrial) and B8 (Storage and Distribution) were not affected by the September 2020 Use Classes reform. They remain separate, protected classes requiring a planning application to change to another use. Light industrial and R&D (formerly B1(b) and B1(c)) moved into Class E(g)(ii). Heavy manufacturing, process industries, and anything with significant noise or emissions stays B2. Warehousing, distribution centres and storage remain B8.

E(g)(ii)

Light industrial, R&D. 200-2,000 sqm typical.

B2 General Industrial

500-10,000 sqm+. 36 sqm GIA/FTE (Homes England).

B8 Storage & Distribution

500 sqm to 100,000 sqm+. 70 sqm GIA/FTE.

Practical Sizing Examples

OperationSuggested sizesq ft approx
E-commerce start-up, 100-300 orders/day200-350 sqm2,150-3,770 ft²
Trade counter + local distribution300-600 sqm3,230-6,460 ft²
Regional 3PL hub, SME1,000-2,000 sqm10,760-21,530 ft²
Food wholesaler, regional DC2,500-5,000 sqm26,910-53,820 ft²
National retailer DC9,000-25,000 sqm96,880-269,100 ft²
Amazon fulfilment / grocery BTS46,000-110,000 sqm495,000-1,184,000 ft²

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the standard UK warehouse size categories?
The UK industrial and logistics industry classifies warehouses into five main bands: small/trade (200-500 sqm), medium (500-2,000 sqm), large (2,000-9,290 sqm / up to 100,000 sq ft), big-box/shed (9,290-46,450 sqm / 100,000-500,000 sq ft), and mega-shed/XXL (46,450 sqm+ / 500,000 sq ft+). These bands are used by Savills, CBRE and UKWA in their market reports.
What is the difference between GIA and NIA for warehouses?
In warehousing, GIA (Gross Internal Area) is almost always the measurement used for lease quotes, business rates and market data. NIA (Net Internal Area) strips out internal walls, columns and plant — which in a warehouse is minimal, so GIA and NIA are very close (typically 95-98% efficient). The distinction matters more in offices, where the core (lifts, toilets, plant) represents 15-25% of GIA. Employment density ratios (sqm per FTE) for B8 distribution (70 sqm GIA/FTE) use GIA.
What is the average UK build-to-suit warehouse size?
According to Savills' UKWA 2024 report, the average UK build-to-suit (BTS) unit grew from 297,000 sq ft (27,590 sqm) in 2015 to 333,000 sq ft (30,940 sqm) by 2023. This reflects the consolidation of logistics networks into fewer, larger units — driven by e-commerce scale and robotics investment that requires large, tall, regularly-shaped floorplates.
What Use Class are warehouses in the UK?
B8 (Storage and Distribution) remains outside the 2020 Class E reform and is unchanged. Light industrial R&D is now E(g)(ii) within Class E. General industrial (heavier processes, noise, emissions) remains B2. Changing a B8 warehouse to another use — or converting to residential — requires a planning application. The 2020 reform did not affect B2 or B8.
How much warehouse space does a small e-commerce business need?
A small e-commerce business dispatching 200-500 orders per day typically needs 200-500 sqm (a small/trade unit). This provides a pick-and-pack area, racking for 500-2,000 SKUs, inbound staging and a small mezzanine office. At the Homes England employment density of 70 sqm GIA per FTE for B8 distribution, a 300 sqm unit supports approximately 4-5 FTEs. At final-mile density (40-50 sqm/FTE), the same space supports 6-8 FTEs.

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Updated 2 May 2026