New Bermondsey questions and answers
Is the New Bermondsey CPO (Compulsory Purchase Order) still happening or is it over?
The September 2016 CPO decision has no force and cannot be implemented. Any regeneration of the area, proposed by anyone would require a completely new and fresh decision by the Council.
Will Millwall Football Club be able to stay in their current stadium?
Yes. We are proud that Millwall Football Club have been based in Lewisham since 1910 and we want to see the club based in New Bermondsey for generations to come. The Den was built on land owned by Lewisham Council and is let to the club on a long term lease.
Who owns Millwall’s stadium, The Den?
Lewisham Council owns the freehold of the stadium and it is leased to Millwall Football Club.
Who owns the Millwall Community Trust site?
Lewisham Council owns the freehold of the site and it is leased to Millwall Community Trust.
Why has an independent review been called into allegations about the Surrey Canal Sports Foundation?
On 23 January Lewisham Council’s Chief Executive wrote to the Mayor and Councillors following formal requests by email from the then Mayor, Sir Steve Bullock, and Cllr Alan Hall, the then Chair of Overview and Scrutiny asking him to commission an independent external review of the matters referred to in the Guardian concerning the Surrey Canal Sports Foundation.
Why did claims that Sport England had pledged £2million to the Surrey Canal Sports Foundation appear in housing zone bid documents?
We were not informed by Renewal that they had been told by Sport England in 2014 to stop claiming that £2million had been pledged for the Surrey Canal Sports Foundation. We provided a letter of support for the housing zone bid that Renewal made to the GLA.
An independent inquiry will look into issues that have been raised concerning the Surrey Canal Sports Foundation and New Bermondsey CPO. Once the independent external inquiry is complete, the outcome will be reported to full Council and made public.
Is there an independent inquiry?
On Wednesday 22 February Lewisham’s Full Council agreed to set up an independent inquiry to examine matters relating to a proposed Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) of land at New Bermondsey/Surrey Canal. By commissioning this inquiry, the Council wants to demonstrate its commitment to decision making which is demonstrably of the highest standard. Once the independent inquiry is complete, the outcome will be reported to full Council. More details about the independent inquiry including the terms of reference are available online.
Who is leading the independent inquiry?
Former Master of the Rolls and Supreme Court judge, the Right Honourable Lord John Dyson, will carry out an independent inquiry into matters related to Lewisham Council's proposed compulsory purchase order of land at New Bermondsey/Surrey Canal.
On 22 February 2017 Lewisham Council decided to establish an independent inquiry, and that it should be led by someone independent of all parties involved, with the integrity and authority to carry out the review in the rigorous, open-minded and unbiased manner that the public will expect.
Accordingly, the Council agreed unanimously to approach the Chairman of the Bar to appoint a skilled and independent person. The Chairman of the Bar, Andrew Langdon QC, has appointed Lord Dyson.
Where can I find the final report of Lord Dyson's independent inquiry?
The final report is available online on the independent inquiry website. Read our statement on the final report .