Chinese authorities were last week refused planning permission to build a vast new embassy on the 700,000 sq ft plot near Tower Bridge after local councilors voted unanimously against it.
The surprise decision came after vocal opposition from local residents and some Tower Hamlet council members who oversaw the decision. The Chinese can still appeal the decision with Housing Secretary Michael Gove.
China’s foreign ministry on Wednesday accused the British Government of failing its "international obligation", saying the embassy planning application had been “conducted in line with international norms and received consent from the UK side.”
Sir Iain Duncan Smith accused the Chinese of “not knowing how the democratic planning process works”.
“They are talking b------t, we don’t run a dictatorial oligarch system here," he told the Telegraph. "The duty to grant planning permission is with the local authority.
No comments:
Post a Comment