Apple announced today that it had secured space in the iconic Battersea Power Station mixed-use site presently being developed by a Malaysian consortium offering high-end condominiums, shopping and office space.
Apple shows that it’s not bothered by Brexit with new London HQ plans
Apple announced its plans to move its 1,400 London-based employees into the decommissioned Battersea Power Station which has been pictured on the album cover of Pink Floyds “Animals” as well as appearing in a number of films including the Batman movie “The Dark Knight.”
The tech giant will be relocating its 1,400 employees presently working from eight separate offices to the site in 2021.
Apple told the Evening Standard today that it looks forward to “our new London campus” and relocate staff “this magnificent new development at one of the city’s best-known landmarks”. It added: “This is a great opportunity to have our entire team working and collaborating in one location while supporting the renovation of a neighbourhood rich with history.”
Despite the Brexit vote that may (likely) see the UK, leave the European Union, Apple showed that it still believes in the strength of the world’s fifth biggest economy.
Battersea is presently undergoing a redevelopment with an estimated cost of £8 billion ($10.4 billion) and is part of a considerably bigger project called Nine Elms which sits on nearly 500 acres on the south bank of the Thames. 20,000 new homes are planned for Nine Elms along with new schools and a subway station. Additionally, the United States is poised to open its new embassy there next year.
Apple did make it clear today that despite its plans to move into Battersea, it’s European HQ would remain in County Cork, Ireland where Apple employs around 6,000.
Even while Apple continues work on its spaceship campus in Cupertino, California at no small cost, the company is showing that it doesn’t mind opening its wallet in Europe as it looks to the future.
So it was Apple that thwarted the plans of Chesea Football Club
For years it was rumored that Chesea FC and its billionaire Russian oligarch, Roman Abromovich, had all but locked up the site for a new stadium with a larger capacity than Chelsea’s existing stadium Stanford Bridge. For all his money, Apple clearly has a lot more and Chelsea’s bid being turned down by the Malaysian developers all of a sudden makes more sense.
It’s believed that Apple will develop the site with room for as many as 3,000 employees, more than double its corporate staff in London. There are thousands of additional employees working in London Apple Stores.
Apple is leasing 500,000 sq ft in total over the top six floors in the old boiler house. Three of those floors will include shopping with more than 250 apartments being built around the large atrium as well as 2,000 seat audiotorium as well as movie theaters and restaurants.
Apple will occupy the top six floors inside the former boiler house around a huge central atrium. There will also be three floors of shops, 253 apartments around a “garden square in the sky”, a 2,000-seater auditorium and cinemas in a scheme designed by London architects Wilkinson Eyre.
Battersea Power Station Development Company’s chief executive Rob Tincknell said: “We are delighted Apple chose to make this their home in 2021.
“It is a testament to not only the fantastic building but the wider regeneration of the 42-acre site, which offers a carefully curated mix of homes, businesses and leisure amid extraordinary open spaces and new transport links.
“It has always been our clear objective to create one of London’s most thriving new communities and this commitment from Apple will undoubtedly help us achieve this goal.”
Apple will be a huge tenant at Battersea
All in all Apple will be taking up 40% of the office space in the Battersea Development. Battersea was decomissioned in 1983 and has seen numerous groups come in and look to deveolop the site with many failed attempts before Malaysian shareholders Sime Darby, SP Setia and the Employees Provident Fund came in in 2012 with their deep pockets.
Those that have bought condiminiums will begin moving to the property in December when the first block, Circus West, is completed. Come spring in addition to the condos, the area will see its first restaurants and shops opening and frequented by such stars as Sting who owns property in Circus West.
Chancellor Philip Hammond said following the announcement, “Apple’s decision further strengthens London’s position as a global technology hub and demonstrates how the UK is at the forefront of the next steps in the tech revolution. It’s another vote of confidence in the UK economy.”
Wandsworth council’s leader Ravi Govindia reiterated this sentiment saying. “I’m very pleased to give Apple a warm welcome. They will become the largest employer in the borough and we are hugely excited that they will play a keen and active role in our community.”
