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A determination on whether to approve China's proposal for a recent super-embassy in London has been delayed anew by the administration.

Housing Minister Steve Reed had been scheduled to decide on the request by 21 October, but the cut-off date has been moved forward to 10 December.

It is the second occasion the government has delayed a decision on the disputed property, whose location has triggered apprehensions it could pose an intelligence gathering danger.

A ruling had originally been due by 9 September after cabinet members assumed authority of the procedure from Tower Hamlets, the local council, last year.

Protection Issues Brought Up

China purchased the property of the proposed new embassy, at Royal Mint Court, adjacent to the Tower of London, for £255m in 2018. At 20,000 square metres, the proposed complex would be the most substantial embassy in Europe if it goes ahead.

The pending ruling on whether to approve the fresh embassy was earlier under intense examination because of concerns about the security implications of the proposal, including the location, size and design of the building.

The property is near fibre optic cables carrying messages to and from economic establishments in the City of London. Worries have been raised that Beijing agents could utilize the property to intercept the cables and monitor communications.

Recent Developments

More concerns have been brought up in the past few weeks about the character of the risk presented by Beijing, following the collapse of the case against two men accused of espionage for China.

The Government Legal Department unexpectedly withdrawn accusations against parliamentary researcher Christopher Cash, 30, and academic Christopher Berry, 33, last month. Both men deny the allegations.

Earlier Postponements

The administration's first delay was requested by Reed's former secretary Angela Rayner, after she requested China to clarify why particular spaces within its architectural plans had been blanked out for "safety concerns".

Planning consultants employed by the China consulate had answered that China "does not believe that, as a basic concept, it is essential or fitting to provide full internal layout plans".

Rayner had written back to parties involved in the review, including China, the Metropolitan Police and a community organization, to give them more time to answer to the schemes and placing the deadline later to 21 October.

Present Circumstances

Reed, who took over the housing role following Rayner's exit last month, has now requested additional time before a ultimate ruling requires completion.

In a document reviewed by media outlets, the accommodation ministry said extra time was necessary due to the "detailed nature" of replies collected previously.

It stated that it was incapable to establish a fresh cut-off date for additional feedback until it receives awaiting answers from the International Relations Department and Domestic Affairs Department.

Planned Amenities

The proposed complex would incorporate offices, a large basement area, residences for 200 personnel, and a fresh passageway to join the Embassy House to a independent facility on the consulate property.

Political Reactions

Beijing's proposal for the embassy was originally denied by Tower Hamlets Council in 2022 over security and protection worries.

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

The Beijing Diplomatic Mission in the UK has previously said the recent development would improve "mutually beneficial cooperation" between China and Britain.

In a new diplomatic note published accompanying Reed's letter detailing his causes for the most recent postponement, a Chinese official said disapprovals to the location were "either unsubstantiated or unjustified".

Critical Perspectives

The Political Rivals said Administration members should dismiss the request, and alleged them of trying to "silence the alerts about the dangers to state security" presented by the embassy site.

The Liberal Democrats also demanded the application to be prevented, calling on the administration to "resist China".

Foreign Affairs spokesperson Calum Miller said it would be "crazy" for ministers to authorize the embassy development to move forward, after cautions from the head of MI5 on Thursday about the threat of China intelligence gathering.

Protection Apprehensions

A ex-top counselor to the previous leader said MI5 and MI6 had cautions him China was "seeking to establish a intelligence facility beneath the embassy," when he was working at Downing Street.

Remarks made on a political podcast, the advisor said the organizations had informed him that authorizing the embassy to be erected would be "a highly unwise choice".

In his annual speech, the protection head said "China national operatives" constituted a country protection risk to the UK "each day".

He stated that the UK required to "protect itself firmly" against China, while also being able to "seize the opportunities" from sustaining ties with Beijing.