"In 2018, a prime piece of real estate near the Tower of London that was once home to a Cistercian abbey and later became the historic manufacturing site for British coins was sold to the Chinese government. The 255m deal, brokered by Eddie Lister, one of Boris Johnson's closest aides, provided China with a site to build a new diplomatic complex stretching across 20,000 square metres."
"Its troubles began in December 2022, when Tower Hamlets unexpectedly refused to grant permission for the project, citing concerns about its impact on the area and its residents. Frustrated with the quagmire of the English planning system, Chinese officials wanted the UK central government to intervene. But Conservative ministers, under pressure from their hawkish backbenchers, refused to get involved. So did the mayor of London, Sadiq Khan."
A 2018 sale of Old Royal Mint Court near the Tower of London transferred a historic site to the Chinese government for a proposed 20,000 square metre diplomatic complex following a £255m deal brokered by Eddie Lister. The plan faced opposition from local residents, human rights campaigners and backbench MPs and was refused planning permission by Tower Hamlets in December 2022. Conservative ministers and the mayor of London declined to intervene. After Labour won power, China resubmitted its application in July 2024, Xi Jinping raised the matter with Keir Starmer, and the housing secretary centralised the decision, triggering a planning inquiry that reported on 10 June 2025; Steve Reed now holds the final decision.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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