By combining different perspectives and methods of empirical research, this PhD thesis generates multi-disciplinary insights into the rise of the logistics complex and its planning discourse whilst focusing specifically on XXL distribution centres (DCs) in the Netherlands.
Background
Since the 1980s, the building footprint of this complex has increased fourfold, to approximately 80 million square metres, generating a new large-scale landscape type: Landscapes of Trade. The research addresses urgent issues regarding the seemingly ubiquitous growth pattern of DCs in the Netherlands, the dominant and increasingly challenged policy narrative of the Netherlands as a ‘gateway to Europe’, and the public-private actor network that appears to fall short of adequate DC planning and development. Other issues are the claimed employment benefits of DCs, the balance of the benefits and burdens of logistics, and the provision of useful spatial planning information for logistics clusters in the emerging circular economy.
This thesis shows how historical, economic and institutional dynamics have shaped the rampant expansion of the logistics complex in the Netherlands. The thesis argues that a new logistics policy narrative is necessarily grounded in the contemporary dynamics and policy goals that are quite different from the conditions in the 1980s. Further research and planning practice along these lines would include open information provision in the logistics spatial planning discourse with an international scope, intensive and multifunctional land use, reverse logistics enabling circularity in DCs, as well as added value of DCs for local communities and businesses.
The research
The overarching question of this research is: 'What historical, economic and institutional dynamics determine the rampant growth of the logistics complex in the Netherlands?'. This question is answered at the hand of 6 sub-questions that are addressed in the chapters of the thesis:
- How has the spatial pattern of DCs in the Netherlands changed over time? — This chapter presents an atlas of the Dutch logistics complex to visualise and discuss the spatial pattern of DCs, in preparation for the analytical chapters that follow.
- On what assumptions was the policy narrative The Netherlands Distribution Country (1980-2020) based? — The chapter answers this question through a systematic text analysis, addressing the underlying sources of the narrative, coalitions of interest and policy theories.
- Which actor-institutional forces determine the spatial outcomes of local XXL DC transactions? — The chapter analyses how spatial decisions are made in the actor-institutional dynamics of DC planning and development, through in-depth interviews and document analysis.
- What are the regional employment effects of XXL DCs? — This is done by analysing the effects of DCs using company microdata in a three-pronged approach of direct, indirect and agglomeration effects.
- What role does spatial equity argumentation play in provincial and local planning discourse and hinterland logistics decisions? — The chapter analyses the arguments used in planning discourse, focusing on the equitable distribution of the benefits and burdens of logistics.
- How do Dutch planners and policymakers experience the validity and applicability of logistics cluster typologies and related information tools? — The chapter answers this question by analysing the results of a Q-sort survey on the user experience of spatial typologies and data-driven maps in the recent policy process on logistics cluster planning.
Read more
Follow this link to view the interactive map which shows the growth of the Netherlands' logistics complex from 1980.
Follow this link to read more about the research.
Download the thesis as PDF on the repository
Nefs, M. (2024). Landscapes of trade: towards sustainable planning for the logistics complex in the Netherlands. TUDelft ABE. https://doi.org/10.7480/abe.2024.10
Find out more?
- Merten NefsEmail address