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A determination on whether to authorize China's proposal for a new substantial consulate in London has been postponed anew by the government.

Housing Secretary Steve Reed had been scheduled to decide on the proposal by 21 October, but the time limit has been moved forward to 10 December.

It is the second time the authorities has postponed a decision on the contentious site, whose location has sparked concerns it could present an intelligence gathering danger.

A determination had first been expected by 9 September after ministers took control of the process from Tower Hamlets, the municipal authority, last year.

Protection Issues Raised

China acquired the property of the suggested new embassy, at Royal Mint Court, near the Tower of London, for £255m in 2018. At 20,000 square metres, the proposed complex would be the largest embassy in Europe should it proceed.

The awaiting ruling on whether to authorize the fresh embassy was already under detailed review because of apprehensions about the safety consequences of the scheme, including the position, dimensions and architecture of the facility.

The property is close to data transmission cables carrying messages to and from banking organizations in the City of London. Apprehensions have been raised that Beijing agents could use the property to tap into the connections and listen in.

Recent Developments

Additional inquiries have been brought up in the last several weeks about the nature of the danger posed by Beijing, following the termination of the legal proceeding against two men accused of spying for China.

The National Prosecution Authority surprisingly withdrawn accusations against government studies analyst Christopher Cash, 30, and scholar Christopher Berry, 33, last month. Both men refute the claims.

Previous Delays

The administration's first delay was sought by Reed's former secretary Angela Rayner, after she asked China to explain why some rooms within its architectural plans had been obscured for "safety concerns".

Architectural specialists working for the Beijing diplomatic mission had answered that China "does not feel that, as a fundamental issue, it is required or appropriate to supply full internal layout plans".

Rayner had sent correspondence to groups participating in the discussion, including China, the Met police and a community organization, to provide extended periods to answer to the schemes and setting the time limit back to 21 October.

Current Situation

Reed, who took over the accommodation position following Rayner's resignation last month, has now asked for additional time before a conclusive determination must be reached.

In a correspondence seen by media outlets, the accommodation ministry said more time was necessary due to the "comprehensive character" of replies obtained to date.

It added that it was not able to establish a fresh cut-off date for fresh comments until it receives awaiting answers from the Foreign Office and Interior Ministry.

Suggested Features

The suggested development would incorporate administrative areas, a substantial underground space, housing for 200 staff, and a recent underground connection to join the Embassy House to a distinct structure on the consulate property.

Government Responses

Beijing's application for the embassy was initially rejected by Tower Hamlets Council in 2022 over protection and safety issues.

It reapplied an same proposal to the council in August 2024, one month after the administration changed.

The China Consulate in the UK has previously said the new complex would strengthen "mutually beneficial cooperation" between China and Britain.

In a fresh official communication issued alongside Reed's correspondence detailing his motivations for the newest deferral, a Chinese official said disapprovals to the location were "either ill-founded or unreasonable".

Alternative Opinions

The Political Rivals said Government officials should reject the application, and alleged them of trying to "silence the warnings about the threats to country protection" presented by the embassy site.

The Liberal Democrats also called for the application to be stopped, encouraging the authorities to "resist China".

Foreign Affairs spokesperson Calum Miller said it would be "irrational" for government officials to authorize the embassy development to proceed, after warnings from the chief of MI5 on Thursday about the threat of China intelligence gathering.

Protection Apprehensions

A previous senior consultant to Boris Johnson said MI5 and MI6 had alerted him China was "seeking to establish a intelligence facility below the embassy," when he was employed at Downing Street.

Commenting during a government program, the advisor said the agencies had advised him that allowing the embassy to be erected would be "a highly unwise choice".

In his yearly address, the security director said "Chinese state actors" represented a country protection risk to the UK "each day".

He mentioned that the UK required to "guard itself strongly" against China, while also being able to "capitalize on the chances" from sustaining ties with Beijing.