Lewisham Council cabinet member voices doubts over Millwall CPO order

(Photo: Action Images)

Millwall have been handed a boost in their hopes to stay at The Den by Lewisham Council’s cabinet member for housing, who has voiced his concern over the controversial scheme.

Labour councillor Damien Egan has urged the plans to have Millwall-owned land surrounding The Den sold off through a Compulsory Purchase Order to be “completely revisited”.

The League One club has warned that should off-shore property firm Renewal be given the green light to begin development, they would be forced to leave south-east London and possibly relocate to Kent in order to keep their academy and community trust operational.

In a statement issued by Egan he declares his reservations over Renewal’s lack of transparency as a company, saying: “I am increasingly less confident in this scheme since the first round of voting last year.

“I don’t think it is acceptable that the public still have questions as to who the financial beneficiaries of the Renewal scheme are.

“My personal preference is that we should completely revisit the planning application that was made by Renewal in 2011 and go back to the drawing board,” he wrote.

Reports published last week have led to open conflict within the labour-run local authority after The Guardian revealed a charity foundation linked to Renewal had been awarded £500,000 by Lewisham Council.

In addition, the Surrey Sports Canal Foundation has been placed under investigation by the Charity Commission after further revelations it misleadingly claimed to have the backing of the country’s premier funding arm – Sport England.

The vote to approve the CPO order was postponed earlier this month by the council and rescheduled for February, but in light of recent developments the credibility of the scheme has sunk to new lows.