Police concerned over safety of plans to relocate Chinese Embassy to Tower Hamlets

Plans to relocate the Chinese Embassy to Tower Hamlets are being reviewed again after they were blocked last year but police remain concerned over resident safety and road blockages

The Metropolitan Police has raised concerns about plans to move the Chinese Embassy to a site in Tower Hamlets saying that it could attract large protests and take officers away from frontline duties.

Previous plans to relocate the Embassy to Royal Mint Court were unanimously blocked by councillors in December 2022 who cited safety concerns for residents and it being minutes away from the Tower of London, a UNESCO world heritage site.

China, which currently has its embassy in Portland Place, Marylebone, did not appeal the previous rejection however an identical planning application was resubmitted to the Tower Hamlets Council’s planning portal in July 2024.

Last month the plans were called in by the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Angela Rayner and will now be considered and ultimately decided upon after a public enquiry.

The Met’s Deputy Assistant Commissioner, Jon Savell said the site would not be able to accommodate more than 100 protesters and raised concerns about residents living directly behind the site and the impact this could have on them.

He went on to say if more than 100 protesters gathered on site, then there was a risk that they might spill out into the roads or would have to move towards the Tower of London, which would have an impact on tourists and other people in the area.

DAC Savell said the roads surrounding Royal Mint Court serve as a main artery for getting around London and are used by several bus routes and fast car response teams from the Royal London Hospital’s Trauma Unit, and risked shutting if there were too many protesters on the pavements.

DAC Savell added: ‘The impact on local policing and resourcing is significant. Policing this proposed Embassy would require officers to be taken away from frontline duties to fulfil the requirement of policing spontaneous and known protests at this location.

‘This has not been factored into the local policing model, unlike other areas where the majority of diplomatic missions are located.’

The Met’s letter from November 14 was initially on Tower Hamlets Council’s planning portal however it has since been taken down.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) understands the letter wasn’t meant to be made publicly visible.

The Met Police declined to comment further.

A resident who did not want to be named said: ‘[The Met’s] concerns are serious enough and should be brought to the attention of the Secretary of State, Angela Rayner and the Prime Minister.

‘Decisions on this application ultimately rests with them.’

Another resident who wanted to stay anonymous said it was really important to have traffic control in the area because of the area being ‘a complete East-West artery’ for London.

They also raised concerns about the location of the proposed site: ‘The Royal Mint site is right opposite the biggest cultural landscape that we’ve got in London with the Tower of London and the Tower Bridge.’

The Chinese government purchased Royal Mint Court, which is located close to Tower Bridge, for £255 million in May 2018. The Chinese embassy argues previous reasons for refusal were ‘without merit’ and ‘have no basis in planning policy’.

The latest plans, which are the same as those submitted in June 2021, would see some of the Grade II listed buildings partially bulldozed, while others would be refurbished and restored.

The site, which covers over 5 acres of land and has reportedly been empty since 2013, would also have accommodation for diplomats, offices and a new visa office and cultural exchange building.

Both the planning and listed building applications have been called in by the Government.

A spokesperson for the Chinese embassy previously said: ‘Six years ago, the Chinese government purchased the Royal Mint Court, London for the use as the new Chinese embassy premises. The UK Government had given its consent to this.

‘Now we are in the process of applying for planning permission. The resubmitted planning application has taken into full consideration the UK’s planning policy and guidance as well as opinions of all relevant parties. This is a high-quality development scheme.’

A spokesperson from the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government previously 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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