The agreement paves the way for construction of an opening tranche of 195 rental flats, marking Grainger’s first BTR partnership with a major housebuilder.

The first phase has secured detailed planning consent and Gateway 2 approval from the Building Safety Regulator, clearing the way for work to begin within weeks.

Detailed high-rise flats plan submitted for plot 3a

The wider Bollo Lane scheme is being brought forward by a partnership between Barratt Redrow and Transport for London. It will consist of a dozen blocks running along a ribbon site next to tube line tracks at Acton in West London.

The planned second phase will deliver around 450 homes with a third phase delivering around 250 homes.

Further land to the north in Acton, which could be incorporated into the partnership, could deliver a new facility for the London Transport Museum together with a further 800 homes.

As well as delivering new homes and public realm improvements, both TfL and Barratt Redrow will seek to deliver new educational and job opportunities for those considering a career in the construction industry, including for those who live locally, through apprenticeships and training programmes.

This morning housing secretary Steve Reed signed off the scheme for the 20,000 sq metre complex at Royal Mint Court, just east of the City of London and opposite the Tower of London.

The decision comes despite opposition from MPs across Parliament about security concerns and clears the way for what would become China’s largest diplomatic outpost in Europe.

Prime minister Keir Starmer is expected to visit China later this month as ministers seek to reset economic and diplomatic ties. It would be the first visit by a British prime minister since 2018.

Reed said the approval was a “quasi-judicial” decision taken fairly and in line with planning policy. He added that it is now final unless successfully challenged in court.

China bought the Royal Mint Court site in 2018 for around £230m.

Plans for the embassy were delayed three times before approval was granted. The 240-page planning decision concludes the proposal complies with the development plan “when taken as a whole” and that planning permission and listed building consent should be granted.

The proposed super embassy would include offices, a large basement area, housing for 200 staff, and a new tunnel to connect embassy buildings

Ministers said intelligence agencies were involved throughout the process and that a package of protective security measures has been devised.

The £255m scheme was previously rejected by Tower Hamlets council in 2022 on safety and security grounds.

The proposed super-embassy includes offices, a substantial basement, accommodation for around 200 staff and a new tunnel linking key embassy buildings. Its location, close to sensitive fibre-optic infrastructure used by banks and major institutions, has fuelled ongoing concern.

The design by David Chipperfield Architects would repurpose the listed Johnson Smirke and Seamen’s Registry buildings, demolish others and introduce new residential and office blocks.

Internal layouts for two buildings — the Cultural Exchange Building and Embassy House — have been redacted from public documents, with parts of other blocks also blanked out.

Construction management advice is being provided by BCEGI UK, with Arcadis acting as project manager. Turner & Townsend is cost consultant, Arup is advising on structures and civils, Cundall on building services and Thornton Tomasetti on façades.

The Home Office has already pushed for a “hard perimeter” to prevent unregulated public access, a requirement that could still trigger a fresh planning application. A final government position is due next month, but ministerial scrutiny means security concerns — not just planning policy — could yet derail the scheme.

Designed by Howells, the plans also include a new primary school, more than 13,500 sq m of light industrial and flexible workspace, a new riverside park, and a range of ground-floor retail and community spaces.

John Mulryan, Group Managing Director, Ballymore, said: “Securing consent for Thames Road is a significant milestone and a strong endorsement of the ambition and care that has shaped these proposals.

“Our commitment to the Royal Docks spans decades, and this approval allows us to build on the success of Royal Wharf while continuing to respond thoughtfully to the area’s evolving character and needs.

“Royal Wharf has demonstrated what high-quality brownfield regeneration can achieve, becoming an international benchmark for new town delivery since its completion in 2020. With planning now in place for Thames Road, we are excited to move forward and prepare to begin construction next year.”