Apple to relocate its London HQ to Battersea Power Station

1,400 staff will move in once renovations are completed in 2021

Apple is to move its London headquarters to Battersea Power Station as soon as renovation work has been completed.

About 1,400 of Apple's London staff will be moved to the Grade II listed Victorian power station in 2021.

Apple will occupy around 500,000 square feet across six floors inside the iconic London building, and will account for 40 per cent of the development's total office space.

Apple's main European HQ will remain in Cork, where it employs around 4,000 people. However, the EC recently ruled that Ireland gave the firm illegal tax benefits worth up to €13bn, demanding that the company pays that amount to Ireland.

The deal, which took more than a year of negotiations to complete, is one of the biggest property deals in London outside the City and Docklands in the past 20 years.

Apple said in a statement that the deal is a "great opportunity to have its entire team working and collaborating in one location while supporting the renovation of a neighbourhood rich with history".

It's not known how much Apple will pay for the office space.

Battersea Power Station Development Company chief executive Rob Tincknell welcomed the deal.

"We are delighted Apple chose to make this their home in 2021. It is a testament to the fantastic building and 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," he said.

"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."

Mayor Sadiq Khan also welcomed the news, saying: "I am delighted that Apple is moving into Battersea Power Station, helping generate new jobs and economic prosperity for Londoners.

"It is a further sign that London is open to the biggest brands in the world and the leading city for trade and investment."