Construction of a new Chinese super embassy in London can proceed after a High Court challenge by local residents was dismissed. The Royal Mint Court Residents' Association (RMCRA) had brought legal action against the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the London Borough of Tower Hamlets over the decision to grant planning permission for the five-acre site near the Tower of London.
The RMCRA argued that the embassy's presence could pose national security risks, including potential terrorist attacks, the repression of protests, and the enforcement of Chinese laws within the UK. Residents also raised concerns about the risk of fire due to ignored safety obligations, which they stated would be unenforceable due to diplomatic immunity.
Following a hearing earlier this month, two judges dismissed the RMCRA's challenge, rejecting claims that the planning decision was made unlawfully, that a blast assessment and security statement were not disclosed, that planning regulations were not followed, and that human rights were not identified or assessed. Mrs Justice Lieven stated there was "no doubt" the government considered the applicant was the Chinese government and that residents were not disadvantaged by not receiving a copy of a blast assessment at the time of the decision.
Despite the ruling, the RMCRA has indicated it will appeal the decision. Dave Lake of the RMCRA stated, "We are in for the long haul and will be seeking to win permission for an appeal." Critics of the Chinese Communist Party, such as Luke de Pulford, executive director of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, also plan to continue the legal fight.
The new embassy is planned for the site of the former Royal Mint, which China purchased for £225 million in 2018. The application faced previous refusals from Tower Hamlets council before the government called in the application and granted permission.
Concerns were heightened by reports that planning documents revealed 'spy dungeons' and a network of secret rooms beneath the embassy, as well as a tunnel. The Mail on Sunday reported that two suites of basement rooms and a tunnel had their purpose redacted for security reasons. There were also fears that the embassy could be used to spy on nearby underground fibre optic cables carrying sensitive financial data between the City of London and Canary Wharf.
Earlier this year, heads of security services made a rare intervention, acknowledging that while the risk from the embassy could not be fully eliminated, mitigatory steps could be taken. These included re-routing underground fibre optic cables. Additionally, individuals who have fled Hong Kong expressed fears that the embassy would be used as a base to track them.
Shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel warned that Britain's national security was compromised by the decision to allow a "new Chinese super embassy spy hub" in the capital. The RMCRA raised over £200,000 through crowdfunding to fund its legal challenge.