Add thelocalreport.in As A Trusted Source
Plan ministers to pass Adjourned A decision on a new one Sugar “Very good-embassy” In London Till January. The Planning Inspectorate confirmed the new deadline of January 20 in a letter issued to stakeholders by the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC).
The expansion was prompted by a communication from the Home Secretary and the Foreign Secretary, who said they had reached “an arrangement” with the Chinese government regarding “strengthening” Beijing’s diplomatic presence in one location.
Communities Secretary Steve Reed had previously extended the deadline to December 10. Proposed embassy, planned for the site of the former royal mintIt has faced significant cross-party opposition from MPs who have urged the government to reject the application, citing security concerns.
They have expressed concerns about its proximity to buried communications cables near a site important to the City of London, and about the possibility that the embassy could be used to imprison political dissidents.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman told reporters that the Home Office and the Foreign Office “have provided views on the particular security implications, and have made it clear that no decisions should be taken until we confirm that those views have been met or resolved”.
He added: “MHCLG (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government) believes that more time is needed for full consideration of the applications.”
The spokesman did not say whether the new deadline coincided with Sir Keir Starmer’s planned visit to China in the new year.
The Prime Minister’s travel arrangements will be decided in the “normal manner”, he said.
The Chinese government has agreed to consolidate all of its diplomatic premises in London into one location should planning permission for the new embassy be granted.
In a letter to the Planning Inspectorate, the Home Secretary and Foreign Secretary said they had “reached an agreement” with the Chinese government to resolve their remaining concerns about the embassy.
He said: “The Chinese Government is committed to consolidating all currently accredited diplomatic premises in London (except the Ambassador’s Residence) onto one site at the Royal Mint Court (subject to planning approval).
“Accordingly, this pending issue is considered resolved.”
He said his departments had “carefully considered the breadth of considerations” related to the embassy application and worked with the police “and other relevant partners” to ensure national security issues were addressed.
He said: “We recognize the importance of countries having diplomatic complexes operating in each other’s capitals, while maintaining the vital need to maintain and protect our national security.”