Amazon to open new office in Shoreditch as its workforce continues to grow

Online giant Amazon is preparing to open a new base in Shoreditch, London,

which may become the e-tailer's new headquarters in the UK.

The US retailer signed a deal with developer Brookfield to rent out over two thirds of the 600,000 square foot building development, known as Principal Place, which is expected to be completed by 2017. Amazon aims to start relocating staff to its new location from next year onwards.

“We have already invested over 1 billion pounds and created more than 7,000 permanent jobs across the UK,” commented Christopher North, managing director of Amazon.co.uk. “To support our continued growth in the UK, we have secured this exceptional building giving us the capacity to hire thousands of new employees in London in the coming years, in addition to the thousands of permanent roles we will create across our UK fulfilment and customer service centers.”

The 500 million pound development, which sits between Liverpool Street and Shoreditch High Street stations, will provide ample space for Amazon's staff across its three buildings as the online retailer is set to increase its workforce from 1,700 to 5,000.

“Our city is the perfect home for top tech talent,” added Boris Johnson, Mayor of London. “I am very pleased that Amazon have confirmed their intention to create thousands of new jobs at a new base in east London.”

Amazon currently has two offices in London. One located at 60 Holborn Viaduct which opened last year and the Amazon Development Centre, which opened on Glasshouse Yard, near the Barbican, in 2012. In order to support the additional workforce growth in the run up to the official opening of Principal Place in 2017, Amazon is set to temporarily occupy 1 Leadenhall Court in April 2015.