Ministers have promised to make a decision on planning permission by January 20 amid mounting concern over the security implications

A decision on China’s application for a new embassy in London is expected in days, but those living next to the proposed site will be challenging it all the way, as Dan Haygarth

Politicians are raising the alarm, while MI5 quietly welcomes the prospect of Beijing’s new London facility

Ministers have promised to make a decision on planning permission by January 20 amid mounting concern over the security implications

A decision on China’s proposed mega-embassy in London is imminent, with Chinese officials and British diplomats in Beijing nervously awaiting the outcome

Ministers have faced calls to reject Beijing’s plans for the embassy at Royal Mint Court

Critics of the project - including some Labour MPs - warn it could pose a security risk.

The plans for a Chinese ‘mega-embassy’ were first approved by the Conservative government in 2018

MI5 has admitted it is ‘not realistic’ to eliminate each and every potential risk