Government approves large Chinese embassy near Tower of London after security assurances

Communities secretary Steve Reed has given permission for China to build a large new embassy near the Tower of London after security chiefs told him the risks to UK national security could be controlled, a decision that paves the way for Keir Starmer to visit Beijing in the coming weeks.

Local residents plan to legally challenge the decision, which could delay the development by months or years. Reed said wider political concerns about China were not relevant to the planning process, adding that "ethical or similar objections to the provision of an embassy for a specific country cannot be a material planning consideration," and he largely endorsed a report from the department's Planning Inspectorate.

MPs had opposed the application, but the security services told ministers they could manage espionage risks posed by the enlarged site, which sits close to data cables into the City of London. Reed noted that neither the Home Office nor the Foreign Office, after discussing the issue with police and intelligence agencies, had site-specific security concerns and that the cable owners had not raised objections.

Key Topics

Politics, Chinese Embassy, Royal Mint Court, Steve Reed, Keir Starmer