This morning housing secretary Steve Reed signed off the scheme for the 20,000 sq metre complex at Royal Mint Court, just east of the City of London and opposite the Tower of London.<\/p>\n
The decision comes despite opposition from MPs across Parliament about security concerns and clears the way for what would become China\u2019s largest diplomatic outpost in Europe.<\/p>\n
Prime minister Keir Starmer is expected to visit China later this month as ministers seek to reset economic and diplomatic ties. It would be the first visit by a British prime minister since 2018.<\/p>\n
Reed said the approval was a \u201cquasi-judicial\u201d decision taken fairly and in line with planning policy. He added that it is now final unless successfully challenged in court.<\/p>\n
China bought the Royal Mint Court site in 2018 for around \u00a3230m.<\/p>\n
Plans for the embassy were delayed three times before approval was granted. The 240-page planning decision concludes the proposal complies with the development plan \u201cwhen taken as a whole\u201d and that planning permission and listed building consent should be granted.<\/p>\n
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<\/a><\/p>\nThe proposed super embassy would include offices, a large basement area, housing for 200 staff, and a new tunnel to connect embassy buildings<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Ministers said intelligence agencies were involved throughout the process and that a package of protective security measures has been devised.<\/p>\n
The \u00a3255m scheme was previously rejected by Tower Hamlets council in 2022 on safety and security grounds.<\/p>\n
The proposed super-embassy includes offices, a substantial basement, accommodation for around 200 staff and a new tunnel linking key embassy buildings. Its location, close to sensitive fibre-optic infrastructure used by banks and major institutions, has fuelled ongoing concern.<\/p>\n
The design by David Chipperfield Architects would repurpose the listed Johnson Smirke and Seamen\u2019s Registry buildings, demolish others and introduce new residential and office blocks.<\/p>\n
Internal layouts for two buildings \u2014 the Cultural Exchange Building and Embassy House \u2014 have been redacted from public documents, with parts of other blocks also blanked out.<\/p>\n
Construction management advice is being provided by BCEGI UK, with Arcadis acting as project manager. Turner & Townsend is cost consultant, Arup is advising on structures and civils, Cundall on building services and Thornton Tomasetti on fa\u00e7ades.<\/p>\n
The Home Office has already pushed for a \u201chard perimeter\u201d to prevent unregulated public access, a requirement that could still trigger a fresh planning application. A final government position is due next month, but ministerial scrutiny means security concerns \u2014 not just planning policy \u2014 could yet derail the scheme.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n