Chinese embassy move to Tower Hamlets rejected by council

An artist's impression of the proposed new embassy

The Chinese embassy can not move to an historic site near the City of London, following opposition from residents.

Tower Hamlets Council refused to grant planning permission for the scheme after a heated meeting on Thursday.

Chinese officials bought the former home of the Royal Mint, dating from the 1300s, and had hoped to redevelop it.

But many residents objected to the plans due to security, privacy and safety concerns. The Chinese embassy has been approached for comment.

The embassy would have become the largest in the UK, under the plans to move China's offices to east London from Portland Place in central London.

During a public consultation, heritage and archaeological concerns were also raised due to the historic significance of the site, which is called Royal Mint Court.

The complex is the site of a Black Death plague cemetery that was later used by the Royal Navy, before housing the Royal Mint between 1809-1967.

It was bought by Chinese officials in 2018.

The site of the current Chinese embassy in Westminster has seen numerous protests held outside

The plans for the five-acre site involved partially bulldozing some of the Grade II-listed buildings and restoring others.

However residents feared it would become a terrorist target or a site for protests against China, as reported by the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Housing association Tower Hamlets Homes said it was "reasonable to expect that the relocated embassy in its new location will continue to see a sizeable number of gatherings and protests in response to international political events".

Last year Historic Royal Palaces, which manages the nearby Tower of London, also raised concerns the new embassy would attract "large numbers of people to areas already designated as 'crowded spaces'."

Despite this, a council planning report had said the development would "positively benefit and enhance the environment" and "deliver new employment opportunities and "significant improvements" to the area.

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