New ‘dark stores’ for flash delivery are no longer allowed in Amsterdam for the time being. Since their arrival in the middle of last year, local residents have complained about blocked sidewalks, road safety and noise pollution.
Because flash delivery services promise to deliver groceries within 10 minutes, their distribution centers are located as close as possible to customers, often in the middle of residential areas. The windows are almost always covered with black plastic.
The municipality wants new dark stores to limit negative effects on the living environment. With the decision, which the city council approved yesterday, the municipality can look in the coming year whether and under what conditions new distribution centers can be built in the city.
No visitors
“With this decision, the council is pressing a pause before the increase in dark stores for flash delivery gets out of hand,” says alderman Marieke van Doorninck (Spatial Development & Sustainability).
The municipality currently does not have enough options to regulate flash delivery from dark stores. They fall in between supermarkets and ordinary shops.
“A lot of transport movements, but no visitors. The additional nuisance such as from supermarkets, but not the same permit. Dark stores are now often found in buildings intended for ordinary shops. The frequency of transport movements is considerably higher and these are also found outside regular shopping hours. activities take place,” says Van Doorninck.
Amsterdam says it is the first municipality to take this step.
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