A faded billboard near the Tower of London declares that a disused site behind high walls is set to become a “new mixed use campus” with “office, retail and leisure space”.

That was the old plan for Royal Mint Court, where the coinage of the Realm was minted in buildings of 19th century grandeur for over 150 years until 1967.

The new plan is for the People’s Republic of China to transform this venerable location, beside the gleaming high rises of the City and directly opposite the Tower of London, into a gigantic new embassy. A final decision on whether to allow China to proceed will be taken by Angela Rayner, the Housing Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister, before Sept 9.

Just how big China’s new embassy would be is disclosed by the original planning application, rejected by Tower Haml

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