London's skyline is about to get a bit more diplomatic, whether the neighbors like it or not. The high court has dismissed a challenge to the government's decision to grant planning permission for a new Chinese super embassy, meaning construction can now proceed. The Royal Mint Court residents' association (RMCRA) had brought legal action against the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the London borough of Tower Hamlets, arguing that the embassy - conveniently located near the Tower of London - could become a magnet for terrorist attacks, a tool for repressing protests, or a handy spot for enforcing 'draconian' Chinese laws on UK soil and targeting dissidents. The association, which represents about 100 properties' worth of families and businesses, also fretted about the Chinese government ignoring fire safety obligations, which they claimed would be unenforceable thanks to diplomatic immunity. In response, the government and council insisted they had 'conscientiously and carefully had regard' to the residents' concerns - which apparently means 'listed them and moved on.' After a hearing earlier this month, two judges dismissed the challenge, leaving RMCRA to contemplate a future where their new neighbor might be less 'embassy' and more 'fortress.'