Continued high relevance – brownfield share of new logistics construction continues to increase

Brownfield space predominated in 2025 within the new logistics building in twelve of the 24 top logistics regions / 7 million square meters of brownfield projects planned for the coming years

Caption: Logivest GmbH reports on the development of brownfields on the basis of its own research data in the Seismograph 2025/26, its annual report on new construction volume. Copyright: Logivest GmbH.

Based on its own research data, Logivest GmbH, a holistic consulting firm operating throughout Germany with a focus on logistics properties and locations, has analyzed brownfield development in new construction in Germany in 2025 and identified the most important new construction projects on brownfield sites.

Brownfield land once again accounted for a significant share of new construction projects in Germany in 2025. In half of Germany's top 24 logistics regions, the brownfield share dominates new construction. In five regions, it was more than 60 percent, and in another five it was even more than 80 percent. Brownfield projects are particularly common in industrial regions such as the Ruhr area or Hanover. There, the retreat of traditional industry is leaving behind large brownfield sites, which are of increasing importance for the logistics real estate sector in the context of structural change.

Space scarcity as a driving factor

Fewer and fewer greenfield plots are available for logistics projects, which means that the recycling of existing areas is becoming increasingly relevant. Especially in the eastern Ruhr area, a subsequent use of brownfield sites will be unavoidable in the future. However, only a few spaces are available in numerous peri-urban and inner-city areas, in regions such as Stuttgart and Rhine-Main, for example, the share of brownfield construction is over 80 percent of the annual new construction volume. In city centres, new logistics construction projects also compete with residential construction.

Furthermore, the revitalization of brownfield sites is not only a remedy against land scarcity, but also contributes to ecological sustainability, as no new areas are sealed in the event of subsequent use. The plots also often offer the advantages of a central location and established infrastructure for the users.

Successful examples of brownfield projects that were completed in 2025 include a logistics property of around 63,000 square meters by Garbe in Salzgitter on the former site of a rail vehicle manufacturer and the approximately 60,000 square meter logistics park of the MLP Group in Gelsenkirchen on a former industrial site.

Increasing relevance in the coming years

In recent years, the share of revitalized brownfield sites in the volume of new construction has increased: in 2022 it was still 35 percent, in 2025 it was already 45 percent. The use of brownfields will continue to gain in importance in the future. For the coming years, more than 7 million square meters of new construction projects are planned on brownfields – almost half of the total projected new construction area of 14.8 million square meters. The largest planned brownfield projects include, for example, the approximately 160,000 square meter logistics and business park in Mülheim and the approximately 232,000 square meter multi-user park in Düsseldorf by CTP. Together with QUINCAP, Four Parx is also building a commercial, production and logistics park with around 52,000 square meters of rental space on a brownfield in Kirchheim near Munich. Prologis is also starting the first construction phase in Dortmund for an approximately 62,000-square-meter logistics property consisting of two halls. In the future, a total of 130,000 square meters of new construction space are planned on the brownfield.

Brownfield areas thus remain central to new construction. In the coming years, they will continue to gain relevance for the logistics real estate industry in the context of structural change, the lack of free space in urban areas and the orientation towards greater sustainability.

The survey is part of Logivest's logistics real estate seismograph, which refers to new construction projects on the German logistics real estate market in 2025. The time of the measurement is always the groundbreaking ceremony. You can download the current logistics real estate seismograph with the new developments in 2025 free of charge under the following link: https://www.logivest.de/news-room/seismograph

About Logivest GmbH

Logivest is an owner-managed, holistic consulting company operating throughout Germany with a focus on logistics properties and locations. Services in the areas of letting, transaction and new construction consulting are the core competencies. The range of services is rounded off by support in the marketing of logistics locations, the optimisation or redesign of logistics processes, M&A advice for companies and location analyses. Founded in 2011, the company is characterized by extensive and cross-industry logistics real estate, location and logistics process expertise. With a total of ten locations in Germany (Munich, Berlin, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Hanover, Cologne, Leipzig, Nuremberg and Stuttgart), the Logivest Group offers customers from logistics, production and trade individual and nationwide support. For more information, please visit: www.logivest.de

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