On December 20, Britain's High Court dismissed a lawsuit brought by the Royal Mint Court Residents' Association, affirming that the local authority's approval of the plan to build China's embassy complex in central London was lawful and can proceed.
The association had filed the lawsuit in early December, arguing that the embassy's construction posed human rights risks to residents, including Chinese nationals critical of or dissenting from the government. However, two High Court judges rejected these claims, confirming that the housing minister and the borough of Tower Hamlets acted lawfully when granting planning permission in January this year.
The plan to build China's embassy at the Royal Mint Court site—a historic location over 200 years old, near the Tower of London—was approved just before former UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer's visit to China.
The residents' association, representing around 100 households and businesses near the proposed site, raised concerns that the embassy's presence could lead to terrorist attacks, suppression of protests, or be used for espionage and enforcement of Chinese law on UK soil. The association also pointed to fire risks, as the UK government would be unable to enforce safety regulations because of diplomatic immunity.
Following the ruling, Luke Pollard, who heads the residents' association, said: “Beijing thinks this ruling is the final word. But it isn't. An appeal is being prepared.” He stressed: “If they expect us to stand idly by and allow our capital to become a stronghold of the Chinese Communist Party, they have completely underestimated the strength of opposition to this mega-embassy.”
China purchased the historic Royal Mint site, adjacent to the Tower of London, in 2018 for a reported $327 million. The 20,000 square metre (215,000 square foot) site is expected to become the largest embassy complex in the UK by area.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the borough of Tower Hamlets defended their position, asserting that they gave careful and thorough consideration to residents' concerns when making the planning decision.
