{"id":764779,"date":"2024-11-20T09:43:27","date_gmt":"2024-11-20T09:43:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.architectsjournal.co.uk\/?p=764779"},"modified":"2024-11-20T10:07:34","modified_gmt":"2024-11-20T10:07:34","slug":"chipperfields-china-embassy-plans-raised-at-starmer-xi-jinping-meeting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.architectsjournal.co.uk\/news\/chipperfields-china-embassy-plans-raised-at-starmer-xi-jinping-meeting","title":{"rendered":"Chipperfield\u2019s China embassy plans raised at Starmer-Xi Jinping meeting"},"content":{"rendered":"

On Monday (18 November), the prime minister bought up the proposed embassy<\/a> scheme in a face-to-face meeting with Xi Jinping during the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro. It was the first time a UK prime minister has met their Chinese counterpart since Theresa May was in No 10.<\/p>\n

The proposals \u2013 which would transform the former Royal Mint site opposite the Tower of London into embassy quarters \u2013 was resubmitted to Tower Hamlets, the local planning authority, in the immediate aftermath of July\u2019s general election.<\/p>\n

The planning application for a 2.3ha embassy complex<\/a> was called in last month<\/a> by deputy prime minister Angela Rayner. This means Chipperfield\u2019s scheme will now face a planning inquiry with government ministers making the final decision.<\/p>\n

Video<\/a> of the encounter with Xi Jinping showed Starmer saying: \u2018You raised the Chinese embassy building in London when we spoke on the telephone and we have since taken action by calling in that application. Now we have to follow the legal process and timeline.\u2019<\/p>\n

China had criticised the previous government for failing to intervene in an original planning application, which Tower Hamlets councillors refused<\/a> in December 2022 \u2013 a decision later upheld<\/a> by London mayor Sadiq Khan.<\/p>\n

Tower Hamlets councillors cited the scheme\u2019s potential harm to surrounding heritage assets such as the Tower of London, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the impact of the development on residents of the neighbouring Royal Mint Estate. They overturned a recommendation to approve the scheme by council planning officers, who had described the scheme as \u2018well-designed\u2019.<\/p>\n

Protesters and local politicians opposed the scheme because of China\u2019s repression of the predominantly Muslim Uyghur people \u2013 and David Chipperfield was criticised<\/a> for accepting the commission. Tower Hamlets has the largest Muslim population of any local authority in England and Wales, at 39.9 per cent.<\/p>\n

Last month it was alleged that China was blocking proposals by Eric Parry Architects<\/a> for a new British ambassador\u2019s residence in Beijing in response to the delays to its London embassy plans<\/p>\n

\n
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According to a report in The Guardian<\/em><\/a>, Chinese officials have resisted the UK\u2019s requests to rebuild its embassy complex \u2018for at least a year\u2019. The AJ understands that plans for the site were first submitted<\/a> to authorities two years ago.<\/p>\n

A Department for Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesperson said: \u2018Applications for a new Chinese embassy in Tower Hamlets have been called in for ministers to decide. A final decision will be made in due course.\u2019<\/p>\n

There is currently no timeline for the inquiry into the Chipperfield scheme.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

On Monday (18 November), the prime minister bought up the proposed embassy scheme in a face-to-face meeting with Xi Jinping during the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro. It was the first time a UK prime minister has met their Chinese counterpart since Theresa May was in No 10. The proposals \u2013 which would transform …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":131789,"featured_media":764814,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_oasis_is_in_workflow":0,"_oasis_original":0,"ep_exclude_from_search":false},"categories":[681],"tags":[1626,2339,3907,100542],"yoast_head":"\nChipperfield\u2019s China embassy plans raised at Starmer-Xi Jinping meeting<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"David Chipperfield Architects\u2019 contentious plans for a new London Chinese embassy came up this week during Keir Starmer\u2019s first meeting with China\u2019s president\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.architectsjournal.co.uk\/news\/chipperfields-china-embassy-plans-raised-at-starmer-xi-jinping-meeting\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta 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