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Stockholmers asked to have their say on controversial new Apple store

The Local Sweden
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Stockholmers asked to have their say on controversial new Apple store
How the store is planned to look at present. Photo: Stockholms Stad/Foster & Partners

Stockholmers have been invited to have their say about a planned flagship Apple store in the Swedish capital that has divided opinion since the project was announced in 2016.

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The tech giant first announced in early 2016 its plan to build a flagship store in central Stockholm (at present the city’s only Apple store is in suburb mall Täby Centrum), with the choice of location at the much loved Kungsträdgården park a controversial one.

Critics say the store would block the entrance to the park from Hamngatan and change its character from a space free for public use to a commercialized one. A TGI Friday's restaurant is already located on the spot but the Apple store would be bigger.

READ ALSO: The story of Kungsträdgården and Stockholm's tree huggers

The debate led to the initial plans for the shop being revised to change its dimensions, meaning the store would be the same height as the restaurant currently in place, though still larger in volume.

Concerns have also been raised by the Stockholm City Planning Office that the earlier closing time of the store compared to a restaurant could decrease the safety of the area at night, though Apple says it plans to hold events and exhibitions on some evenings.

Now, Stockholm residents have been invited to see the new proposal for the store in the flesh at the city technical department building in Kungsholmen, as well as to send written comments on it to the city planning office until the consultation period closes on September 12th.

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In a new poll on public broadcaster SVT's website, around 80 percent of more than 7000 votes are against the Apple store being built at Kungsträdgården, with only 14 percent backing it at the time of writing.

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