The People's Republic of China's plans to develop the largest UK's embassy in London have been recommended for approval by planners ahead of what will be a high-octane Tower Hamlets committee meeting next week (1 December).
China's plans for the historic 5.4-acre (2.10ha) Royal Mint Court site, located to the north-east of the Tower of London and on the east side of the Tower Hill traffic interchange, would see a 619,200 square feet development for a new embassy, with staff accommodation accounting for around 353,261 square feet or 57% of the floor space.
If Tower Hamlets does accept its planners recommendations it is likely both the Mayor of London and the government will "call in" the plans for review. Concerns raised over the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) building such a large enclosed embassy in London have again bubbled to the surface following clashes between protesters and staff outside China's Manchester consulate last month, with some MPs and members of the House of Lords calling for the government to investigate the planning application.
Speaking to The Times last month Lord Alton of Liverpool said the UK's relationship with China has changed considerably since 2018 when the site was bought, meaning the development should be reviewed.
He said: “The idea that the Royal Mint should become a prime site for the promotion of the CCP is wrong. It will give them a great deal of prestige and I am sympathetic to the security issues and the concern from local residents. I think the secretary of state should call it in.”
The proposals have been politically contentious for some time, with Tower Hamlets council drawing up a motion to voice critical views on China’s treatment of the Muslim Uighur people and the citizens of Hong Kong during the planning process.
Royal Mint Court is located just off East Smithfield Street, overlooking the River Thames and opposite the Tower of London. It has largely been left vacant since early 2013.
It was the location of the Royal Mint, with the nation’s coinage produced there from 1810, when mint production ceased from within the Tower of London. The Royal Mint vacated the site in 1976 after production had earlier moved to Llantrisant in Wales. Aside from the listed Seaman’s Registry Building and the listed Johnson Smirke Building, the remaining office spaces on-site date from the late 1980s when the Crown Estate disposed of the site and it was redeveloped.
The People’s Republic of China bought the site in 2018 for £250 million and the proposals would see its headquarters at Portland Place in Marylebone relocated to the larger premises, becoming the workplace and hub of all day-to-day activities for what would be China's largest embassy in Europe.
Its David Chipperfield plans propose the refurbishment and restoration of the Grade II* listed Johnson Smirke Building and the remodelling and refurbishment of the Grade II listed Registry Building. It also proposes remodelling and part demolition and new extensions to the 1980s-built Murray and Dexter House building to provide staff accommodation and a separate cultural exchange building.
The principal embassy function will occupy the Grade II* listed Johnson Smirke Building fronted by a private forecourt and ceremonial entrance set towards the Tower of London. There will be office spaces within a renovated and redeveloped Grade II listed former Seaman’s Registry Building, a cultural exchange building for events with a visa processing function in the foot of the building that would open off a new small public space on East Smithfield Street identified as Exchange Square.
Recommending the plans for approval ahead of a full planning committee meeting on 1 December, Tower Hamlets planners say the "nation(s) that will occupy the site is not a material planning consideration and nor is the applicant who submits the application", while the principle of the development in land use policy terms is acceptable as "embassies are identified as an appropriate strategic land use function for a site such as this". They says the layout, function and design of the scheme would provide a "satisfactory quality of accommodation". In addition the scheme would not introduce any increased overlooking to existing neighbours to the rear of the site on Cartwright Street.
The say the proposal would create a "new landmark building of true distinction and architectural quality".
They add: "Overall, the proposals would result in the provision of buildings with a more sensitive scale, massing and design and would preserve and enhance the character and appearance of the Tower of London Conservation Area."
In addition the planners write: "Some harm has been attributed to below-ground archaeological heritage assets but this would be outweighed by the public benefits of the scheme, which include regeneration of the site in a sensitive manner to enhance the relationship with above-ground heritage assets, employment opportunities, public realm improvements and heritage presentation space."
They sum up: "Overall, the proposal is considered to be well designed and officers are satisfied that the proposed development would deliver a high quality, well integrated, inclusive and sustainable place. It is on this basis that the grant of planning permission, subject to conditions and obligations, is recommended. Listed Building Consent, subject to conditions, is also recommended."
Last year, Tower Hamlet councillors put forward a motion criticising Chinese government actions but welcoming the embassy development, writing that when the embassy does move to Tower Hamlets "the embassy staff will be able to see how people with different nationalities, backgrounds, religions and ethnicities can work closely together in harmony and that a person’s religion is not a threat to be removed by violating their human rights and trying to suppress their identity as we fear the Chinese government is trying to do now in Xinjiang".
Another motion has been put forward by Liberal Democrat Councillor Rabina Khan to ask the local authority to rename roads around the site as "Tiananmen Square", in memory of the 1989 student protests in China, "Uyghur Court" and "Hong Kong Road".
Chinese Ambassador Liu Xiaoming described the motion as an attempt to disrupt the plans and said it was a cause for “grave concern”, terming the reporting on China’s actions “lies fabricated by a few irresponsible politicians and media from the West."