London Council Rejects China’s New Embassy Plan Again

Councilors unanimously voted to reject the Chinese’s embassy’s planning permission; the final decision will be taken by Westminster next year.

An exterior view of the proposed site for the new Chinese embassy, near Tower Bridge in London on June 23, 2023. Hannah McKay/Reuters

London’s Tower Hamlets council rejected Beijing’s plan for a large new embassy for a second time, putting pressure on Westminster to deny the application.

On Monday, local councilors on the borough’s Strategic Development Committee voted unanimously to reject the planning application, citing concerns over protest-related issues such as traffic congestion, impact on local tourism, and policing.