In a ‘David and Goliath fight’, locals are opposing China’s plans to construct Europe’s largest Chinese embassy on their carpark.
This controversial project involves China’s ownership of the 18th-century, grade II listed Royal Mint Court near Tower Bridge for the past six years and the pending approval for a new ‘super embassy’.
Initially rejected by Tower Hamlets council, the proposals have been resubmitted and will now be reviewed by Labour housing chief Angela Rayner.
There are fears the application could now go in China’s favour as the state waited until August to put in its plans under a potentially more sympathetic government.
David Lake is among the east London residents taking a stand against the proposal.
The decision will be made in the wake of Rachel Reeves’ diplomatic trip to China.
Speaking to The Times, 62-year-old Mr Lake said he had been ‘disgusted’ at Keir Starmer asking ministers to examine the plans for the 62,000 sq ft site after President Xi raised the matter with him.
Royal Mint Building. The dispute comes after China bought the 18-century, grade II listed Royal Mint Court near Tower Bridge six years ago and is awaiting planning permission for its new ‘super embassy’
View of the building architecture of the site of the former Royal Mint in London on December 6, 2024, a site favoured by the Chinese authorities as a home for it’s new embassy
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer during a bilateral meeting with President Xi Jinping of China, at the Sheraton Hotel, as he attends the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Originally from Manchester, Mr Lake, who has lived in the area for 40 years, suggested he was concerned the base could become a magnet for attacks, spying and traffic.
It comes as the car park of his flat, in a small development called St Mary Graces Court, would form part of the new embassy.
He said: ‘It’s about the security. If there’s an attack we’d get flattened. We’re operating in the world of worst-case scenarios, but the worst-case scenarios do exist. There’s no mitigation anywhere from the Chinese to help us out, none whatsoever.’
Chief Executive of Crilly Consulting, Andy Williams, said he thought the choice of the Tower Hill location was ‘wholly inadequate and inappropriate from both potential terrorism and activism standpoint’.
He added: ‘The residents are going to be completely inundated. But the key thing is that in terms of the safety of the residents, they’re ludicrously proposing a wooden fence, which at one point is 1.1 metres high, with a gap you could literally put a gangplank across.
‘Any activist will be rubbing their hands with glee, as would any terrorists, at the fact they’ve got 200 residential apartments in the embassy with a footbridge across. In some ways you don’t even need to be a security expert — it’s pretty good common sense why it would be totally inappropriate to put an embassy here.’
The comments follow counter-terrorism police objecting to the scheme in light of the resources required to ensure public safety.
Proposals were previously rejected by Tower Hamlets council but have now been re-submitted and will be considered by Labour housing chief Angela Rayner
If the development were to go ahead, red flags of the People’s Republic of China would be flown opposite the Tower of London.
Concerns are also being voiced the embassy could be a base for spying. Unmesh Desai, the area’s local London Assembly member, said residents were ‘rightly concerned about the reported use of Chinese diplomatic missions to act essentially as outposts of the Chinese police force abroad, policing Chinese-speaking communities across the globe and having a chilling effect on their ability to fully participate in democracy here and elsewhere’.
Chief Inspector Dave Hodges, of the Metropolitan Police, suggested protests related to the scheme could also have a major impact on traffic in the area.
He explained: ‘In the event that more than a relatively small number of protesters attend the location, they will highly likely spill into the road. This iconic junction of Tower Hill and Tower Bridge Road has over 50,000 vehicle movements per day and is of critical importance to the Tower Bridge river crossing.’
Barry Harris is one resident who did not oppose the development outright.
He said: ‘I think if it was going to be an American embassy, a Canadian embassy, an Australian embassy, a Bangladeshi embassy, an Indian embassy, there wouldn’t be any issues,’ suggesting people were being prejudiced against the Chinese.
Protesters from the London Uyghurs, Tibetans and Hongkongers communities gather outside the proposed relocation site of the Chinese Embassy in London to oppose the plan (September 2021)
Organizers, representatives from the communities of Uyghurs, Tibetans and Hongkongers in London, Councilor Rabina Khan and Councilor Peter Golds pose for a group photo during the demonstration
In November, Starmer was called ‘weak, weak, weak’ after he revealed ministers took over decision-making for the embassy when Xi raised it with him.
‘You raised the Chinese embassy building in London when we spoke on the telephone,’ Sir Keir told Mr Xi during their meeting in Rio de Janeiro.
‘And we have since taken action by calling in that application. Now we have to follow the legal process and timeline.’
In response to Sir Keir’s words to Mr Xi, which were recorded as broadcasters were being ushered out of the room in Rio, top Tory MP Robert Jenrick branded the PM ‘weak’.
The shadow justice secretary said: ‘Starmer openly admits Labour intervened in the application to build the new Chinese embassy (massive spy hub) after Xi Jinping pressured him. Weak. Weak. Weak.’
