Demand for warehouse space in Poland is strongest in the midwestern city of Poznan, according to a report published on Tuesday by property consultant Cushman & Wakefield. Some 118,500 m[sup]2[/sup] of warehouse space was leased in Poznan in the first six months of 2007, slightly more than was leased in the whole of 2006, C&W said. In total, around 640,000 m[sup]2[/sup] of warehouse space was leased in the first half of 2007, compared with 900,000 m[sup]2[/sup] for the whole of 2006.

Demand for warehouse space in Poland is strongest in the midwestern city of Poznan, according to a report published on Tuesday by property consultant Cushman & Wakefield. Some 118,500 m2 of warehouse space was leased in Poznan in the first six months of 2007, slightly more than was leased in the whole of 2006, C&W said. In total, around 640,000 m2 of warehouse space was leased in the first half of 2007, compared with 900,000 m2 for the whole of 2006.

Other areas which registered strong demand were Upper Silesia (165,000 m2 in the first half compared with 167,000 m2 for the whole of 2006) and the Warsaw area (210,000 m2 against 280,000 m2 in full-year 2006). Demand was generated mainly by logistics operators and retailers.

Poland's modern warehouse stock currently stands at a total 3.15 million m2, representing year-on-year growth of 43%. A further one million m2 is under construction. Despite Poznan's sharp rise in demand, Warsaw remains Poland's dominant warehouse market, with a total stock of 1.7 million m2, accounting for 54% of the country's modern warehousing.

Ferdinand Hlobil, partner and head of Cushman & Wakefield's Central European industrial department, said: 'Poland is currently one of Europe's most dynamic warehouse markets. The country is clearly benefiting from its location on the main transport routes between Western Europe and Russia, as well as the Balkans and Scandinavia, its size, geographically and in terms of population, and the availability of modern industrial space at relatively low rents.'