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A ruling on whether to sanction Chinese proposal for a fresh large diplomatic complex in London has been postponed again by the administration.

Housing Secretary Steve Reed had been due to rule on the proposal by 21 October, but the time limit has been extended to 10 December.

It is the second instance the administration has delayed a determination on the disputed location, whose position has generated apprehensions it could create an intelligence gathering danger.

A decision had first been expected by 9 September after cabinet members gained oversight of the operation from Tower Hamlets, the municipal authority, last year.

Safety Worries Raised

China bought the property of the proposed fresh embassy, at Royal Mint Court, adjacent to the Tower of London, for £255m in 2018. At 20,000 square metres, the planned facility would be the largest embassy in Europe should it proceed.

The outstanding determination on whether to approve the fresh embassy was already under detailed review because of concerns about the protection ramifications of the plan, including the placement, size and layout of the structure.

The site is close to optical fiber lines transporting messages to and from financial institutions in the City of London. Worries have been brought up that Beijing agents could employ the location to intercept the cables and eavesdrop.

Recent Developments

Additional inquiries have been raised in recent weeks about the nature of the threat posed by Beijing, following the failure of the prosecution against two men accused of intelligence gathering for China.

The National Prosecution Authority surprisingly dropped charges against parliamentary researcher Christopher Cash, 30, and university researcher Christopher Berry, 33, last month. Both men deny the claims.

Prior Deferrals

The administration's first delay was requested by Reed's former secretary Angela Rayner, after she inquired China to explain why some rooms within its development papers had been redacted for "security reasons".

Planning consultants employed by the Beijing diplomatic mission had replied that China "does not believe that, as a fundamental issue, it is essential or fitting to provide complete interior designs".

Rayner had responded in writing to parties engaged with the consultation, including China, the Metropolitan Police and a local residents' association, to allow additional time to respond to the plans and setting the deadline forward to 21 October.

Existing Conditions

Reed, who took over the housing role following Rayner's departure last month, has now sought additional time before a conclusive determination requires completion.

In a letter examined by media outlets, the residential authority said extra time was necessary due to the "thorough quality" of replies received so far.

It stated that it was unable to set a new deadline for fresh comments until it gets outstanding replies from the Foreign Office and Domestic Affairs Department.

Proposed Facilities

The planned facility would include administrative areas, a extensive subterranean section, residences for 200 employees, and a fresh passageway to link the Embassy House to a separate building on the embassy grounds.

Government Responses

Beijing's application for the embassy was first refused by Tower Hamlets Council in 2022 over safety and security concerns.

It reapplied an equivalent proposal to the municipal government in August 2024, one month after the new government took office.

The Chinese Embassy in the UK has earlier stated the new complex would strengthen "reciprocal advantageous partnership" between China and Britain.

In a new diplomatic note issued accompanying Reed's letter detailing his reasons for the latest delay, a Chinese official said oppositions to the location were "either baseless or unwarranted".

Alternative Opinions

The Conservatives said Administration members should reject the request, and charged them of trying to "muffle the alerts about the dangers to national security" posed by the embassy site.

The Liberal Democrats also demanded the application to be prevented, encouraging the government to "stand up to China".

Diplomatic Affairs commentator Calum Miller said it would be "irrational" for government officials to permit the embassy development to proceed, after warnings from the director of MI5 on Thursday about the danger of Beijing spying.

Protection Apprehensions

A previous senior consultant to the previous leader said MI5 and MI6 had warned him China was "trying to build a intelligence facility below the embassy," when he was employed at Downing Street.

Speaking on a political podcast, the advisor said the services had told him that permitting the embassy to be constructed would be "a highly unwise choice".

In his regular presentation, the intelligence chief said "China national operatives" constituted a national security threat to the UK "each day".

He added that the UK had to "protect itself firmly" against China, while also being able to "take advantage of the possibilities" from maintaining connections with Beijing.