A new row has erupted over China’s plans to build a super embassy in east London after the Home Secretary and Foreign Secretary intervened in the deeply controversial proposal.
Yvette Cooper and David Lammy have both signalled their support for the scheme, despite the Metropolitan Police expressing security concerns and protests from residents.
The move was branded “an extraordinary attempt to influence an independent inquiry”.
China’s proposal to turn the former Royal Mint building into Europe’s largest embassy was rejected by Tower Hamlets council before Secretary of State Angela Rayner called them in and announced she would make the final decision in October.
In a joint letter to the Planning Inspectorate this week, Ms Cooper and Mr Lammy stressed the “importance of countries having functioning diplomatic premises in each other’s capitals”.
Counterterror police said the site, opposite the Tower of London, was bound to attract large protests and tackling demonstrations could take officers away from frontline duties.
Intelligence services are also reportedly worried about the area’s proximity to critical communication cables, which could be susceptible to attack.
In their letter, seen by the Standard, Ms Cooper and Mr Lammy said the Met had “withdrawn their objection”.
“Whilst there remain differences of opinion on where protesters would most likely congregate, on balance, the Metropolitan Police’s public order experts are content that there is sufficient space for future protests without significantly impacting the adjacent road network”, the two senior cabinet ministers said.
“The Metropolitan Police have therefore withdrawn their objection to the application.”
The Chinese Government bought the former Royal Mint seven years ago and plan to create one of the largest embassies in the world
The letter also suggests the removal of plans for “unregulated public access” to Cistercian monastery ruins in the site’s grounds, arguing that the complex’s diplomatic status could delay emergency services responding to incidents as they would need permission to enter.
Instead, the ministers said a hard perimeter was needed, with “occasional controlled public access” negotiated between the Chinese embassy and authorities.
The intervention came just days after Chancellor Rachel Reeves visited Beijing and Shanghai in a bid to boost economic and trade ties with the UK. Mr Lammy also visited China last year.
Tower Hamlets councillor Peter Golds said: “This is an extraordinary attempt to influence an independent inquiry into one of the most controversial planning applications seen in decades.
“This will be the largest embassy in Europe , a centre of potential disinformation located not only on a world heritage site but adjacent to the City of London, a world financial centre.
“The Government must come clean as to what discussions they have had actually had with the Chinese Government on this matter.
“In addition, we frequently hear of the ‘operational independence’ of the police. The Met, who have enormous experience of controlling demonstrations at embassy locations, should say why, after Government intervention, they have changed their minds.”
The Chinese Government bought the former Royal Mint seven years ago to create one of the largest embassies in the world.
Tower Hamlets councillors rejected the scheme despite planning officers describing it as “well-designed” and recommending approval.
They cited the potential harm to surrounding heritage sites, such as the Tower of London, security fears and the impact of the development on residents living in the neighbouring Royal Mint Estate.
Campaigners voiced their protest due to China’s repression of the Muslim Uyghur people. Tower Hamlets is the local authority with the highest proportion of Muslim residents in the country at almost 40 per cent.
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan upheld the council’s decision in February 2023 and China then missed the deadline to appeal to the planning inspectorate, apparently ending the saga.
However the proposals, which include refurbishing the Grade II-listed Johnson Smirke Building and Seaman’s Register, were resubmitted last August.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) in October confirmed that Ms Rayner had “called in” the scheme.