Government criticised over Chinese embassy plans near Tower of London
Conservative MP Kevin Hollinrake has said that people living near Royal Mint Court, which is in Tower Hamlets, fear that their safety will be at risk if the plans are given the go ahead.
Tower Hamlets Council previously rejected a 2022 bid by the Chinese Government to use the Grade II listed building as its embassy.
At the time, the local authority claimed that the development would bring “adverse impacts on safety and security which would place increased strain on local police resources”.
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But the plans were resubmitted last year, and will now be considered by Labour’s housing chief Angela Rayner after the decision was called in by the government.
The Metropolitan Police has since opposed the plans, warning that even a small number of protestors outside the embassy would block the “major arterial junction” of Tower Hill and Tower Bridge Road.
Speaking to Newsquest last week, Tory housing lead Mr Hollinrake claimed that the proposed ‘super-embassy’ had serious “potential security implications”.
“This site is almost literally the crown jewels of the UK – you’re overlooking the Tower of London and you’re right by Tower Bridge,” he explained.
“You’ve got this massively prestigious location next to a huge, huge embassy so I think from a national security point of view you’ve got to have concerns.
“Seeing the Chinese flag flying over what is an historic site in the middle of London is worrying in itself.”
He added that hundreds of families would be living right by the perimeter fence of the new embassy, so fear that they would be at risk if it were to become a target.
“Where that fence separates from their properties is where cars come in and they check for explosives and other potential security risks,” Mr Hollinrake said.
“So, you can understand why the residents are worried.”
China bought Royal Mint Court six years ago and, if built, it is thought it would be the largest embassy in Britain and China’s largest diplomatic mission in Europe.
At the G20 summit last year, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer reportedly told Chinese Premier Xi Jinping that the government decided to call in the application after the two leaders “spoke on the telephone”.
Mr Hollinrake said: “It’s highly unusual you would admit to there being some direct political influence that you’ve caved into.
“It cannot be right that you’re doing this as a result of political pressure.
“You should be doing what’s in the interests of this country both in terms of national security and the security of local residents.”
A spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy previously told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that host countries have the “international obligation” to support the building of the premises of diplomatic missions.
The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government said: “Applications for a new Chinese embassy in Tower Hamlets have been called in for ministers to decide.
“A final decision will be made in due course.”
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