Millwall has said it “welcomes any delay” in Lewisham Council’s Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO), after an investigation was launched into a mysterious document meant the cancellation of a cabinet re-vote.
Commenting on the Lewisham Mayor and Cabinet’s decision to delay granting CPOs for land leased to Millwall FC and the Millwall Community Trust, Millwall’s Chief Executive Andy Ambler said:
“We note that there has been another delay in the decision on granting the CPOs. We welcome any delay because we regard the use of CPOs as inappropriate, damaging to the football club and unjustifiable.
“In the meantime we are progressing our own plans to develop the land leased to the club and the Millwall Community Trust.
“Our plans will be compliant with the New Bermondsey scheme and just as important be viable, deliverable and meet the needs of the community and the borough.”
Lewisham’s cabinet approved the CPO plans three weeks ago, which would see land used by the Millwall Community Trust and the car park bought by the council before being sold to Renewal as part of a 2,400 home development.
Jordana Malik, Director at Renewal, said: “We understand that Lewisham Council has postponed its decision on the CPO pending further investigation of a document that it received on September 27.
“We recognise the importance of the council completing this investigation and will therefore wait for the CPO to be considered in due course.”