New Chinese super embassy in London will go ahead despite security concerns

The building of a Chinese ‘super embassy’ in London can still go ahead after residents banded together to launch a legal challenge.

Beijing has been allowed to turn the former Royal Mint building in Tower Hamlets into Europe’s largest embassy despite widespread security concerns.

The Royal Mint Court Residents’ Association argued the presence of the embassy could lead to terrorist attacks or the repression of protests.

They also fear it will be used to enforce ‘draconian’ Chinese laws in the UK and to target dissidents.

Legal action was brought against the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, but Mrs Justice Lieven said at the High Court today there was ‘no doubt’ that the Government took into account that it was the Chinese government applying for planning permission.

She also said that the RMCRA was not disadvantaged by not receiving a copy of a ‘blast assessment’ at the time of the planning decision, which detailed the effect of a possible terrorist explosion.

The judge said: ‘There was no unfairness to the claimant by reason of these documents not having been disclosed.’

The building would be China’s largest ever in Europe, sitting at around 22,000 square metres.

It will be placed close to fibre optic cables transmitting email and messaging data for millions of people.

Mark Nygate from the Royal Mint Court Resident’s Association, whose homes are next to the planned embassy told Metro: ‘We are very disappointed but we will fight on and will appeal this decision if we can raise the funds for a legal challenge. We have had donations from across the globe and a lot of support.

‘The judge has said there are grounds upon which a an appeal can be launched.

‘Things like embassy cctv looking directly at our flats and fear of a terrorist bomb attack on the building are among are many concerns. We are not giving up on battling against these plans which endanger our security and privacy.’

Two years ago, MI5 were reportedly worried about the building’s close proximity to major communication cables, leaving them susceptible to an attack.

Plans unveiled last week show a hidden chamber and a network of 208 secret rooms beneath the building.

The concealed chamber will sit directly alongside the fibre-optic cables, which transmits financial to the heart of London’s financial district.

The same room will also be fitted with heat extraction fans, suggesting the installation of equipment such as computers which need to be kept cool.

The outer basement of the wall – lying between the room and the fibre optic cables – will also be demolished and ‘rebuilt’.

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