Interview with Chris Holdup, Director at Mode Transport
Take a look at our conversation with Chris Holdup, Director at Mode Transport, where he shares his insights about the Industrial & Logistics Conference. In this Q&A, Chris discusses the importance of the conference for the sector, the biggest challenges and opportunities in his area of focus, and what inspired him to work in industrial and logistics.
Q) Why do you think the Industrial & Logistics Conference is important for the sector?
A) The industrial and logistics sector brings together a broad mix of disciplines, all grappling with many of the same challenges. Bringing those voices into one room creates space for more joined-up thinking, shared learning and, importantly, a better understanding of where friction points sit between policy, delivery and operational reality. At a time when the sector is under growing pressure to respond to rapid changes in demand, regulation and community expectations, that collective conversation is more valuable than ever.
Q) What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your area of focus that attendees should be aware of?
A) From a transport and planning perspective, the continued preference for speculative, highly marketable space – capable of accommodating a range of end users and land uses – remains critical to securing permissions that are genuinely deliverable. That flexibility, however, brings both challenges and opportunities. Travel demand, parking provision, servicing and logistics access all need to be planned with a degree of uncertainty in mind, often within increasingly constrained or urban locations and against the backdrop of 24-hour operations. Done well, this creates an opportunity to design more resilient, future-proofed schemes that balance operational needs with policy expectations on sustainability, amenity and network impact.
Q) What inspired you to get involved in this area of the sector?
A) Housing rightly receives significant public and political attention, but homes cannot function in isolation. Industrial and logistics space is fundamental supporting infrastructure for growth – underpinning supply chains, employment and the everyday functioning of towns and cities. Transport is frequently one of the most challenging aspects of bringing these schemes forward, and misconceptions around their impacts can often dominate the planning process. Being able to help clients and stakeholders move beyond those myths, grounded in real-world evidence, and then see high-quality schemes delivered that genuinely benefit local and regional economies is a hugely rewarding part of working in this sector.