Plans for huge new Chinese embassy delayed by government

Approval of a huge new Chinese embassy in London has been delayed by the government over redacted areas on the embassy's plans.

Beijing hasn't fully explained why there are blacked-out areas in its planning application after housing minister Angela Rayner demanded an explanation earlier this month. The government has now delayed its decision over whether construction can go ahead from 9 September to 21 October, saying it needed more time to consider the application.

The Chinese embassy in London expressed "serious concern" over the delay and said host countries have an "international obligation" to support the construction of diplomatic buildings. "The Chinese side urges the UK side to fulfil its obligation and approve the planning application without delay," said the embassy in a statement.

"The planning and design of the new Chinese Embassy project is of high quality, which has been well recognised by various professional bodies. "The planning application has followed the customary diplomatic practices, as well as necessary protocol and procedures.  "In our reply to [the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government], we have provided a comprehensive response to the questions concerning the planning application.

"It is an international obligation of the host country to provide support and facilitation for the construction of diplomatic premises. Both China and the UK plan to build new embassies in each other's capitals." DP9, the planning consultancy working for the Chinese government, said its client felt it would be inappropriate to provide full internal layout plans.

It added that additional drawings provided an acceptable level of detail, after the government asked why several areas were blacked out. "The Applicant considers the level of detail shown on the unredacted plans is sufficient to identify the main uses," said DP9 in a letter to the government.

"In these circumstances, we consider it is neither necessary nor appropriate to provide additional more detailed internal layout plans or details." The embassy, which would be the largest in Europe, is planned for the 216-year-old site of the old Royal Mint Court next to the Tower of London. However, opposition from local residents, lawmakers and pro-democracy campaigners means planning approval has been delayed for the past three years.

Read more from Sky News:What Epstein's right-hand woman says about Trump and Prince AndrewThird arrest over sex toy throwing at women's basketball gamesWhy Donald Trump believes he 'deserves the Nobel Peace Prize' Earlier this month, the embassy described claims that the building could have "secret facilities" used to harm Britain'snational security as "despicable slandering". However, the executive director of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, which has ties to a network of politicians critical of the country, called the explanations "far from satisfactory".

Luke de Pulford, who is a long-standing critic of the embassy plans, said the "assurances amount to 'trust me bro'"..