Land Securities Group, the owner of the UK’s Bluewater shopping centre in Kent, is seeking to block a Dubai company from naming one of its developments Bluewaters, according to a person with knowledge of the matter.
The UK’s largest real estate investment trust filed a challenge to stop Meraas Holding using the name for a planned project that will include a Ferris wheel to rival the London Eye, said the person, who asked not to be identified because the information is private.
The filing was made at the Industrial Property Office, which handles trademark disputes, the person said. Meraas plans to build shops, homes and the 210-metre Ferris wheel, according to its website, and is seeking to raise a loan of about US$500 million for the project. The company is also building the Middle East’s first Legoland theme park in Dubai.
Land Securities holds a trademark in the UAE for the Bluewater name, the person said.
Meraas did not respond to phone calls and an email seeking comment outside of office hours. An official at Land Securities, which holds a 30 per cent stake in the Bluewater development, declined to comment.
The challenge was the second within last week involving Meraas. Boxpark, the creator of the London shopping centre composed of shipping containers, on Thursday demanded the Dubai company stop using its name for a "copycat" project called Boxpark Dubai.
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