The UK government has pushed back a crucial decision on plans for a new Chinese "super-embassy" in London until next year. Planning ministers have now set a new deadline of January 20 to rule on the controversial application, following intervention from the Home and Foreign Secretaries.
Security Concerns Prompt Delay
The extension was confirmed by the Planning Inspectorate in a letter circulated by the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC). It came after the Home Secretary and Foreign Secretary informed the inspectorate they had reached an "arrangement" with the Chinese government. This deal concerns the consolidation of Beijing's various diplomatic premises in the capital onto a single site.
The proposed embassy is planned for the former Royal Mint site in London and has faced significant cross-party opposition from MPs. Critics have voiced serious national security worries, including the site's proximity to vital communications cables serving the City of London. There are also fears the compound could be misused to detain political dissidents.
Ministerial Intervention and a Diplomatic Deal
Communities Secretary Steve Reed had already moved the decision deadline to December 10 before this latest postponement. The Prime Minister's official spokesman stated that the Home Office and Foreign Office had provided views on specific security implications. He emphasised that a decision should not be made until those considerations were fully resolved.
In their letter, the Home and Foreign Secretaries detailed the new agreement. They stated: "The Chinese government has committed to consolidate all currently accredited diplomatic premises in London (excluding the ambassador’s residence) into one site at the Royal Mint Court (subject to planning approval)." They confirmed that, based on this commitment, their outstanding issue was now considered resolved.
Balancing Diplomacy and National Security
The ministers noted their departments had carefully considered a broad range of issues linked to the application, working with police and other partners to address national security. They acknowledged the importance of countries having functioning diplomatic premises in each other's capitals, while underlining the critical need to uphold UK security.
The spokesman for the Prime Minister declined to comment on whether the new January deadline was connected to potential plans for Sir Keir Starmer to visit China in the new year. He said any prime ministerial travel would be announced in the "usual way." The final decision now rests with planning ministers, who must weigh the diplomatic arrangement against persistent security concerns raised by parliamentarians.
