Reuters“In three words – our safety, security and privacy.”
Royal Mint Court resident Mark Nygate listed his deepest concerns ahead of a political decision that could transform his life.
He was waiting to find out if the government would allow China to build an enormous new embassy next to his home.
“The worst case scenario is that we might end up being moved off.
“And if they just move us off and there’s no compensation, what do I do?
“I’m 65. I can’t afford to live in London without any money.”
Mark’s home of 27 years is a flat built in the 1980s within the historic Royal Mint site, bordering London’s financial district and virtually overlooking the Tower of London.
China bought the land in 2018 and had been seeking approval for a new embassy there since 2019.
The site has become a battleground of David and Goliath proportions, as Mark and his neighbours fight China’s plans.
“We’re 100 flats, 200 people, facing the might and the wealth of the People’s Republic of China.”
Despite political opposition and national security fears, the government approved the development on Tuesday.
It has previously said the Chinese mega embassy could bring “security advantages” as it would consolidate the seven Chinese sites dotted around the capital.
According to Mark, his block of flats sits just a few yards away from accommodation planned for embassy staff, the other side of a high wall.
“They are what the embassy would consider to be a security issue for their staff.
“So we feel that they will ultimately move us off here… and that obviously really has caused fear,” he said, speaking on behalf of the 200 Royal Mint Court residents.
In a better case scenario, he says, residents would be overlooked by staff sitting on balconies and spied on at every angle by CCTV cameras.
When asked how he imagined life living alongside Chinese officials, he said bollards had already been installed “right outside people’s houses” and residents worried they could become a target.
“Embassies do attract demonstrations, they do attract issues, and we would be on the front line of it.”
At 215,278.21 sq ft, this will be the biggest foreign embassy in Europe.
A “mega embassy”, as some have described it.
Mark added: “Why do they need a premises of this size?
“It is purely to say, ‘here we are, we’re on this prime bit of land the facing Tower of London, look at who we are’.
“It’s a prestige thing.”
EPAMark told the BBC he planned to launch a legal challenge if the plans were approved.
He has the support of among others, long-time local Conservative councillor Peter Golds, who says he has made preparations to launch a judicial review.
Among his many concerns is the suitability of a development in this part of London.
Due to its proximity with Tower Bridge, any road closures or protests could cause “chaos north and south of the river”.
Golds also cites heritage concerns.
“It’s one of the world’s great, great iconic heritage sites, millions of people a year come to this site,” he said.
“If this is built, they will get out of coaches, come out of the Tube station, look at Tower Bridge, the Tower of London and the next thing they’ll see is a gigantic flag of the Chinese communist party flying over it.
“That’s not London.”
Ahead of the government’s decision, crowds of protesters gathered on Saturday to oppose the plans, many holding banners.
Among them, Chung Ching Kwong, who says she is in “self-imposed exile” from Hong Kong due to her pro-democracy work.
Chung Ching, who lives in London and works for the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, says she believes the safety of dissidents from Hong Kong and China is at risk.
The bigger the embassy, the more “oppression and espionage activities” there will be, she says.
“For our community to know that this is going to be the biggest embassy, there’s going to be a few hundred more staff on the ground in the UK is a very scary thought because we fled the country to try to escape oppression, surveillance and the long arm of the state.”
She added that people like her who had resettled in the UK, including some with “bounties on their head, who have received threats to throw them into an embassy in exchange for a reward”.
She added: “So all these things are adding up is a very, very scary thought for us.
“China needs a new embassy, the current one is not functioning, but this is not the right place or a safe place for it to be.”
The Chinese government was asked for comment.
