London Meeting “Why Proposals for a PRC Mega Embassy On the Royal Mint Site Should Be Resisted” and Parliamentary Reply on the World Heritage Site Implications Of The Proposal
Speaking at a meeting about the work of the Joint Committee on Human Rights, hosted by Whitehouse Communications, at Amigo Hall in Southwark, Lord Alton ( David Alton ), chair of the JCHR, responded to a question about the implications of siting a new mega PRC Embassy on the Royal Mint Site. He cited human rights objections – including transnational repression – security considerations – including concerns raised by the Intelligence Agencies – and the implications of the impact on the nearby World Heritage Site of the Tower of London. He said the Government should not kow tow to a regime accused of genocide by the British House of Commons.
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Parliamentary Reply
Baroness Taylor of Stevenage, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, has provided the following answer to your written parliamentary question (HL5338):
Question by Lord Alton of Liverpool:
To ask His Majesty’s Government what account they have taken of UNESCO’s best practices for assessing risks to a World Heritage Site’s Outstanding Universal Value in assessing the planning application for a new Chinese embassy on the Royal Mint site and its potential impact on the Tower of London World Heritage Site. (HL5338)
Tabled on: 27 February 2025
Answer:
Baroness Taylor of Stevenage:
A public inquiry held by an independent Inspector has heard a range of evidence and representations. The Inspector will now prepare a report and recommendation, which will be sent to the Department. As this case will come before ministers in MHCLG to determine, it would not be appropriate to comment further. Decisions on planning applications are based on material planning considerations.
Date and time of answer: 11 Mar 2025 at 16:46.
