UK delays decision on China's super-embassy in London amid Beijing spying row

Housing Secretary Steve Reed was due to rule on the application by 21 October, but the deadline has now been pushed back to 10 December.

This marks the second time ministers have delayed a decision on the controversial project - at Royal Mint Court near the Tower of London - which is facing mass opposition amid fears China could use it for spying purposes.

Asked why the decision had been delayed, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “Given the detailed nature of the representations that have been provided, and the need to give parties sufficient opportunity to respond, MHCLG (The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government) consider that more time is needed for full consideration of the applications."

It comes after a parliamentary committee urged Mr Reed to block China’s plans.

The Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy (JCNSS) said approving the application was “not in the UK’s long-term interest” in a letter to the minister.

Former head of MI6 Sir Richard Dearlove also urged the plans to be rejected, telling LBC: "I think it's probably the case that quite a lot of sensitive communications or cables run close to that site. We shouldn't allow the Chinese to have an embassy on top of them".

"We could stick them out of London and offer them a piece of boggy ground on the Essex marshes".

Read more: China poses threat to Britain ‘every day,’ warns MI5 chief as he reveals another spy threat was thwarted last week

Read more: Security committee warns China’s 'Super Embassy' could harm national security

He also noted reports of plans for basement rooms and tunnels and that the security services have warned that allowing Beijing to set up the biggest embassy in Europe would create a hub for the country to expand its “intelligence gathering and intimidation operations”.

China purchased the site of the proposed new embassy at Royal Mint Court near Canary Wharf for £255 million in 2018.

The 20,000 square metre proposed complex would make it the largest embassy in Europe if it got the green light.

But Beijing's plans for the huge building have sparked concerns given its proximity to London's financial hub, with protesters taking to the streets urging the government to block it.

Plans for the embassy were rejected by Tower Hamlets Council in 2022, with the Chinese opting not to appeal.

But Beijing resubmitted the application a fortnight after Sir Keir Starmer’s election victory last year, believing Labour may be more receptive to the application, and the plans were called in so ministers would make the final decision.

Shadow home secretary Chris Philp accused the Government of being “scared” to give planning consent.

“Now the Government is too scared of the public to give planning consent to the Chinese spying base as they had planned to,” he said.

“And they’re too scared of the Chinese to say ‘no’.”

“Hence the delay. Contemptible,” he posted on X.

It comes as the Government faces continued pressure over its handling of the collapsed Chinese spying case. On Thursday, MI5 boss Ken McCallum said he would “never back off” from confronting threats from China.

He said Beijing posed a national security threat “every day”, as he frustration at the China spy trial being thrown out.

Mr McCallum also revealed that MI5 directly foiled a plot by Beijing in the past week, but refused to give further details. It is understood this was not related to Parliament.