{"id":767479,"date":"2024-12-11T09:51:49","date_gmt":"2024-12-11T09:51:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.architectsjournal.co.uk\/?p=767479"},"modified":"2024-12-11T12:21:48","modified_gmt":"2024-12-11T12:21:48","slug":"council-refuses-chipperfields-chinese-embassy-plans-again","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.architectsjournal.co.uk\/news\/council-refuses-chipperfields-chinese-embassy-plans-again","title":{"rendered":"Council refuses Chipperfield\u2019s Chinese Embassy plans ahead of inquiry"},"content":{"rendered":"

The local authority\u2019s strategic development committee<\/a> voted unanimously to reject the highly controversial proposals over their impact on safety, police resources and heritage.<\/p>\n

However, the decision is of limited consequence as Rayner called in the application in October<\/a> and will hold a public inquiry before ruling on it.<\/p>\n

Tower Hamlets refused an earlier application for an identical scheme in December 2022<\/a> against planning officer recommendation.<\/p>\n

The Chinese government decided not to appeal that decision but instead resubmitted plans this July<\/a> saying the refusal had been \u2018without merit\u2019.<\/p>\n

The councillors again went against the advice of the borough\u2019s own officers by refusing the plans for the 2.1ha site, north-east of Tower Bridge, which was purchased by China in 2018.<\/p>\n

A Tower Hamlets Council spokesperson said today: \u2018The strategic development committee considered the planning and listed building consent applications for the redevelopment of the Royal Mint Court complex to provide a new home for the Chinese Embassy last night (9 December).<\/p>\n

\u2018A range of concerns were discussed at committee, raised by objectors, ward members and members of the committee.<\/p>\n

\u2018The committee resolved to reject the application due to concerns over the impact on resident and tourist safety, heritage, police resources and highway safety given the congested nature of the area.\u2019<\/p>\n

The embassy is planned for the former Royal Mint complex, with Chipperfield proposing to retrofit its listed buildings and add landscaping.<\/p>\n

The scheme would also refurbish the Grade II-listed Seaman\u2019s Register, which was remodelled by RMJM in the 1980s. It would create a new Embassy House by splitting up and remodelling the conjoined Sheppard Robson-designed Murray and Dexter House.<\/p>\n

The longer building, Dexter House, would contain flats for embassy staff. The building\u2019s fa\u00e7ade would be reconfigured to provide a \u2018calmer and more unified\u2019 backdrop to the surrounding listed buildings.<\/p>\n

Murray House would be repurposed into a new seven-storey Cultural Exchange building, clad in green ceramic.<\/p>\n

Prime minister Keir Starmer last month mentioned<\/a> the proposed embassy scheme in a face-to-face meeting with Chinese president Xi Jinping during the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro.<\/p>\n

Video<\/a> of the encounter showed the UK leader 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","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The local authority\u2019s strategic development committee voted unanimously to reject the highly controversial proposals over their impact on safety, police resources and heritage. However, the decision is of limited consequence as Rayner called in the application in October and will hold a public inquiry before ruling on it. Tower Hamlets refused an earlier application for …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":104183,"featured_media":619013,"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":[1626,3905,2339,5234],"yoast_head":"\nCouncil refuses Chipperfield\u2019s Chinese Embassy plans ahead of inquiry<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Tower Hamlets Council has again symbolically refused David Chipperfield Architects\u2019 plans for a Chinese Embassy in central London \u2013 although communities secretary Angela Rayner will make the final decision on the scheme\" \/>\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\/council-refuses-chipperfields-chinese-embassy-plans-again\" \/>\n<meta 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