Colchester's King Edward Quay was built at the Hythe on the River Colne just before the First World War, and in 1926 a power station opened at the Hythe. By 1952 the Hythe was the town's largest industrial area, 108 acres, with Paxman's engineering works taking about 22 of them. The quay now holds refurbished warehouse units: number 4, at 2,234 sq ft, is listed at £2,292 a month. A century on, getting enough electricity is the question facing anyone taking warehouse space in the East.
A ball-bearing works in Luton
Luton's Britannia Estate on Leagrave Road began as the Skefko ball-bearing factory, which Historic England dates to 1911. It is now 58 units on about 10 acres, two miles from junction 11 of the M1, and units listed on 4wallsspaces start at 1,323 sq ft.
Vauxhall, in Luton since 1905, built its last van there in March 2025. In July 2026 the council approved Goodman's plan for the site: up to 200,000 sq m of industrial space and more than 2,400 jobs. Whether that space gets the power it needs is now a national question.
Two speeches about the grid
On 1 September Andy Burnham told the Commons that grid connections were taking "far too long" and costing too much. On 29 September he announced Great British Grid, a publicly owned company inside Great British Energy, to speed up connections for businesses and bring energy costs down to European levels within ten years.
The East shows why. In July 2026 Nscale's 90MW connection for its Loughton data centre was reported not to be ready in time for its planned 2027 opening. Hertsmere's 2026 economic study names power capacity as a limit on employment sites. The Norwich to Tilbury pylon line, which National Grid says will carry power for up to six million homes and businesses, awaits a decision due in February 2027, with Essex County Council still objecting.
Essex and Hertfordshire are still waiting for mayors
Burnham's devolution offer covers most of this region. The Greater Essex mayoral election was pushed back from May 2026 to May 2028. Hertfordshire is being split into four unitary councils from April 2028 and has no devolution deal. In August 2026 Luton Council backed a mayoral authority with Bedford, Central Bedfordshire and Milton Keynes. The industrial strategies Burnham wants revived will depend on authorities that, in the East, are still being formed.
What warehouse space costs across the East
Knight Frank put vacancy in the East at 7.3% in the second quarter of 2026 for units over 50,000 sq ft, lower than London or the South East, and forecasts 3.5% rent growth this year. Lambert Smith Hampton's April 2026 figures put top industrial rents at £13 to £14 per sq ft in Basildon and Harlow, and £12.50 to £13.50 in Witham. The Colchester quay unit works out at about £12.30 per sq ft. Freeport East, around Felixstowe and Harwich, reports more than £250 million of private investment, though the A12 widening between Chelmsford and Marks Tey was cancelled in 2025.
Who the East suits
Businesses that serve London from outside it, or need to be near Felixstowe, Harwich or the M1, will find smaller units at rents well below the capital's. Anyone planning an electric fleet or heavy power use should treat the connection as the first item of due diligence, since the region's big grid upgrades are still at the decision stage. The listings below cover Colchester, Luton, Basildon, Dunmow, Hertford, Watford and Stevenage.
FAQ
What was King Edward Quay in Colchester?
A quay on the River Colne at the Hythe, built just before the First World War. The Hythe became Colchester's main industrial area, and warehouse units on the quay are now let individually.
How much are warehouse rents in Essex?
Lambert Smith Hampton put top industrial rents at £13 to £14 per sq ft in Basildon and Harlow in April 2026. A 2,234 sq ft unit at King Edward Quay, Colchester, is listed at £2,292 a month.
When will Greater Essex have a mayor?
The first Greater Essex mayoral election is scheduled for May 2028, after being moved from May 2026.
What is happening to the Vauxhall site in Luton?
Luton Council approved Goodman's plan in July 2026 for up to 200,000 sq m of industrial space and more than 2,400 jobs. The plant built its last van in March 2025.
What was the Britannia Estate in Luton?
The Skefko ball-bearing factory, which Historic England dates to 1911. It is now an estate of 58 units on about 10 acres off Leagrave Road."
