Inquiry into Millwall CPO will cost up to £500,000

AN inquiry set up by Lewisham council into its own controversial plans to seize land around The Den will cost up to £500,000 of taxpayers’ money.

The council is tonight set to decide a QC will lead an independent investigation into circumstances surrounding the proposed compulsory purchase order that threatened to evict Millwall from their home.

The inquiry will look into claims the council was misled by the Surrey Canal Sports Foundation over claims of a £2million funding agreement from Sport England.

The council will tonight decide on the scope of the investigation, which is likely to last six months, and agree that up to half a million pounds be set aside to spend on it.

Lewisham this month abandoned plans to seize the land and a spokesman said: “Any regeneration of the area, proposed by anyone would require a new decision.”

But Millwall have suspicions the process could be restarted and the League One club want a commitment from the council there will not be a new CPO.

A review into the land-grab comes in the wake of a series of revelations about the Surrey Canal Sports Foundation, set up by property developers Renewal to run the sports complex at the heart of the proposed New Bermondsey development.

Renewal insist neither itself nor the Foundation has suggested there was a “legally binding agreement” of £2m from Sport England for the project.