Millwall are edging ever closer to expanding the Den, as Lewisham Council are set to approve a 999-year extension to the current lease of the ground.
Plans approved in January 2022 will see around 3,500 new homes built on the land around the football ground. The stadium's capacity is to be extended from 20,000 to 34,000, with an additional tier of seats added to the existing stands.
“Millwall Football Club welcomes the news that the initial planning application for the New Bermondsey redevelopment has been approved,” Millwall communications director Billy Taylor told the press.
“This is a significant step forward for what is a much-needed regeneration.”
The new lease agreement would unlock the ability to redevelop the area, named New Bermondsey, as the current lease prohibits such building work from going ahead.
Millwall new stadium November 2024 update
On 31 July 2024, a revised New Bermondsey regeneration plan was approved, which includes building a new London Overground station and developing 3,500 homes near Millwall's stadium. The developer, Renewal, may contribute up to £25 million for the station. Transport for London (TfL) is exploring additional funding after the Housing Infrastructure Funding (HIF) withdrew support for a planned station.
The area's affordable homes have been reduced from 1,200 to 1,100 due to increased financial commitments to transport infrastructure. Millwall Football Club supported the revised master plan and emphasized their commitment to working with the community and local stakeholders on the regeneration efforts.
What will the New Den look like?
The above image shows the impressive designs of what the redeveloped Den might look like upon completion.
According to the architects responsible for the designs, the redeveloped stadium will provide the necessary facilities, such as additional media and player accommodation, to meet the Premier League's entry requirements, allowing the club to expand beyond its current position.
Of course, the expansion would also provide much improved facilities for supporters and opportunities for the club to maximise revenue from corporate hospitality and related income streams.
The new ground will also feature a public plaza, allowing the club to host events not only on matchday but also for the new local community created by the addition of the extra housing around the site.
The ground is currently situated in a largely industrial area, but the plans would allow this to be completely revitalised.
A rocky road up to now
It's not been easy to get the project plans to this point. In fact, the previous mayor of Lewisham, Sir Steve Bullock, faced calls to step down when the council declared it wanted to take the land back from the football club and hand it over to developers.
At this point, Millwall threatened to leave the borough of Lewisham and from there, it seems like club and council have been working on a new way forward that will benefit both parties.
A new lease is vital for Millwall
That has led to the proposal for the new lease, which would allow Millwall to develop its ground alongside the building of the new homes.
“A revised lease structure has several benefits for the council, including enabling the development of much-needed housing and provision of a new community facility,” council documents read.
“Millwall are an important and valued stakeholder in the borough, providing jobs and driving spend and commercial activity, so a lease structure which supports development will, in turn, support the sustainability of Millwall and will further support jobs, employment and economic activity.”
That said, it's important to point out that there's still a long way to go before any concrete plans for starting the building work are announced. The project is large and complicated, so there is always plenty of red tape to work through. It's been reported that work could still take several years to complete.