The proposed building Apple would like to open its store in would be ten stories high and protesters have said this would fall foul of a law which prevents buildings blocking out sunlight.
Approval to override the law has been asked for by the City of London which owns the land on which the building would be erected.
The proposed building would feature 87,000 square feet of office space and 13,000 square feet of retail space, in which the Apple store would reside.
Reuters has reported that eight property owners are seeking an injunction against the building and that a vote will be taken by London’s transport and police committees later in the month.
Apple itself has refused to even comment on whether it is indeed planning on a new store for the capital or not.
Meanwhile, Apple recently announced that it will construct a brand new headquarters campus in Cupertino, California.
The building is to be shaped like a giant spaceship, according to Apple, and will aim to be one of the most eco-friendly offices in the world.
Once completed in 2015, the building will boast 2.8 million square feet of office space and will have walls of clear glass, allowing employees to view the 6,000 trees to be planted in the surrounding landscape.
Steve Jobs, Apple’s iconic co-founder and long-time CEO recently resigned from his position leading the company. Jobs has been battling pancreatic cancer for the last several years.
Editor’s notes: As of July 2023, Apple does not have a store in the City of London confirming that its attempts to override sunlight rights laws were not successful.
The largest company in the world by market capitalisation’s most recent store opening was at Battersea Power Station.
It had been announced in 2022 that Apple would also be renting 495,000 square feet over 6 floors at the scheme. In July 2023, Apple was in the process of moving its 1,400 London-based staff into the brand new scheme to consolidate its London office base in order to efficiently facilitate in-office collaboration between team members.
In June 2023, it was announced that Regus would be opening ‘The Engine Room’ at Battersea Power Station on the 2nd and 3rd floors of the historic Boiler House, later in the year.
The 40,000 square foot space would provide beautifully designed meeting spaces, high-end hybrid workspaces, individual offices, co-working spaces and a members’ lounge, to meet the growing demand from hybrid working companies in London.