Apple's Plans for London Financial District Store Caught in Dispute Over Sunlight

100 cheapside
Reuters reports that Apple's potential plans for its first retail store in London's financial district have been thrown into question as existing buildings surrounding the site may see their protected access to sunlight impinged upon by the development. Apple is said to be looking to build its store on the ground floor of a 10-story building planned for construction at 100 Cheapside in London.

The proposed 10-storey development at 100 Cheapside has planning permission for 87,000 square feet of offices and 13,000 square feet of retail.

U.S. developer Hines is in talks to buy the site for under 25 million pounds and Apple is interested in taking space there, a source close to the process told Reuters.

The property's current owner has asked the city to use its power to waive the ability for owners of neighboring properties to seek injunctions against the project. Thirteen properties are said to be affected by the development, with impact to eight of them substantial enough that their owners are likely to seek injunctions against the project.

Given that construction has yet to begin on the proposed building and the potential legal difficulties facing the project, it is unclear at this time whether Apple will seek other options for a retail store in the area.

Apple has two flagship stores within a few miles of the proposed site, with its Covent Garden store lying approximately 1.5 miles to the west and its Regent Street store about a mile further to the west.

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro 3 4ths Perspective Aluminum Camera Module 1

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 12 New Features

Sunday April 13, 2025 7:52 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
Apple 2025 Thumb 1

10 Products Still Coming From Apple in 2025

Friday April 11, 2025 4:14 pm PDT by
Apple may have updated several iPads and Macs late last year and early this year, but there are still multiple new devices that we're looking forward to seeing in 2025. Most will come in September or October, but there could be a few surprises before then. We've rounded up a list of everything that we're still waiting to see from Apple in 2025. iPhone 17, 17 Air, and 17 Pro - We get...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature Homescreen

Foldable iPhone Resolutions Leak With Under-Screen Camera Tipped

Monday April 14, 2025 3:12 am PDT by
Apple's upcoming foldable iPhone (or "iPhone Fold") will feature two screens as part of its book-style design, and a Chinese leaker claims to know the resolutions for both of them. According to the Weibo-based account Digital Chat Station, the inner display, which is approximately 7.76 inches, will use a 2,713 x 1,920 resolution and feature "under-screen camera technology." Meanwhile, the...
iPad Pro iPadOS

iPadOS 19 Will Be 'More Like macOS' in Three Ways

Sunday April 13, 2025 6:43 am PDT by
A common complaint about the iPad Pro is that the iPadOS software platform fails to fully take advantage of the device's powerful hardware. That could soon change. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today said that iPadOS 19 will be "more like macOS." Gurman said that iPadOS 19 will be "more like a Mac" in three ways:Improved productivity Improved multitasking Improved app window management...
M6 MacBook Pro Feature 1

Waiting for the Perfect MacBook Pro? 2026 Might Be the Year

Thursday April 10, 2025 4:19 am PDT by
Apple in October 2024 overhauled its 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, adding M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max chips, Thunderbolt 5 ports on higher-end models, display changes, and more. That's quite a lot of updates in one go, but if you think this means a further major refresh for the MacBook Pro is now several years away, think again. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has said he expects only a small...
Apple Vision Pro with battery Feature Blue Magenta

Vision Pro 2 Rumored to Have Two Key Advantages Over Current Model

Sunday April 13, 2025 7:15 am PDT by
Apple is working on a new version of the Vision Pro with two key advantages over the current model, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Specifically, in his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said Apple is developing a new headset that is both lighter and less expensive than the current Vision Pro, which starts at $3,499 in the U.S. and weighs up to 1.5 pounds. Gurman said Apple is also...
maxresdefault

The MacRumors Show: New iOS 19, iPhone 17, and Apple Watch Ultra 3 Leaks

Friday April 11, 2025 7:13 am PDT by
On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we catch up on the latest iOS 19 and watchOS 12 rumors, upcoming devices, and more. Subscribe to The MacRumors Show YouTube channel for more videos Detailed new renders from leaker Jon Prosser claim to provide the best look yet at the complete redesign rumored to arrive in iOS 19, showing more rounded elements, lighting effects, translucency, and...
top stories 2025 04 12

Top Stories: iOS 19 and iPhone 17 Pro Rumors, Siri Revamp Turmoil, and More

Saturday April 12, 2025 6:00 am PDT by
It was a big week for leaks and rumors in the Apple world, with fresh claims about iOS 19, the iPhone 17 Pro, and even the 20th anniversary iPhone coming a couple of years from now. Sources also spilled the tea on the inner turmoil at Apple around the Apple Intelligence-driven Siri revamp that has seen significant delays, so read on below for all the details on these stories and more! iOS ...
iPhone 16e Feature

iPhones, Macs, and Other Apple Devices Exempted From Trump Tariffs

Saturday April 12, 2025 9:44 am PDT by
Apple and other electronics manufacturers have received a break from Trump's reciprocal tariffs, with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency sharing a long list of products excluded from the levies last night. iPhones, Macs, iPads, Apple Watch, and other Apple devices will not be subject to the 125 percent tariffs that have been put in place on imported Chinese goods, nor will Apple...

Top Rated Comments

RetepNamenots Avatar
178 months ago
Why should Apple be exempt from access to light regulations?
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Steve's Barber Avatar
178 months ago
London has sunlight? :eek:
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ddarko Avatar
178 months ago
Why should Apple be exempt from access to light regulations?

Oh stop it before the Apple bashing starts. This has nothing to do with Apple. Apple is not the building or site developer or owner; it is a possible tenant in the ground floor of the proposed building. This fight is between the neighbors and the site owner, which happens to be the City of London! Complain about how London is seeking to use its sovereign power to exempt itself from access to right rules. Apple is a bystander, it is not involved in this fight.

And if the City loses, all the better for it. This is a ugly and dull building. If you're going to use this sovereign power, use it to erect an interesting building, not beige boxes like this proposal.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Reason077 Avatar
178 months ago
Cheapside...... :D
Quick history lesson:

"Cheap" is actually an old english word meaning Market, so Cheapside effectively meant "Market street".

With the Norman conquest in 1066 (which this street pre-dates), various French words were integrated into the language such as "Marché", which became "Market" in modern english.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
The Great Boony Avatar
178 months ago
Sunlight? In London? Don't make me laugh! There is no such thing.

It may surprise you ignorant yanks, but it's never grey and foggy here....

Maybe get off your couch and visit place that doesn't sell fast food once in a while.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Boomchukalaka Avatar
178 months ago
That is quite a concentration of Apple stores!

----------

Why should Apple be exempt from access to light regulations?

It's not Apple seeking this injunction, it is the developer of the building.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)