The Daily Dazzling Dawn

United Kingdom |

Council rejects plan for new Chinese 'super-embassy' opposite Tower of London

by DD Staff

December 10, 2024

Concept image of the proposed embassy at Royal Mint Court

key takeaways

The authority’s verdict is only advisory, as the final decision will lie with Deputy PM Angela Rayner in the new year

The local council has opposed plans for a new Chinese embassy to be built across from the Tower of London.

At a meeting on Monday, December 9, Tower Hamlets councillors unanimously rejected the plan at Royal Mint Court, citing the potential for large-scale protests that could pose a security concern.

Since the government no longer had the authority to formally accept or reject the proposal, the council's decision was merely advisory and not legally binding. Instead, after a hearing by the Planning Inspectorate in the new year, Communities Secretary Angela Rayner will make the decision on whether or not to grant permission.

It comes after counter-terrorism officers in the Metropolitan Police objected to the plans, saying the embassy would cover “a substantial footprint impacting the immediate vicinity and potentially attracting significant protest activity”.

Speaking at Monday’s meeting, Met Police chief inspector Dave Hodges said: “In the event that more than a relatively small number of protesters attend the location, they will highly likely spill into the road.

“This iconic junction of Tower Hill and Tower Bridge Road has over 50,000 vehicle movements per day and is of critical importance to the Tower Bridge river crossing.

“It is a major arterial junction, where any demonstration would have a serious and significant effect to not only the local area, but also wider London.”

China bought Royal Mint Court six years ago but has so far failed to gain planning permission to build a new embassy there. If built, it is thought it would be the largest embassy in Britain and would be China’s largest diplomatic mission in Europe.

Similar plans were rejected by Tower Hamlets Council in 2022, claiming on similar grounds that the development would bring “adverse impacts on safety and security which would place increased strain on local police resources”. Source-The standard