Irwin Mitchell advises Millwall FC on landmark 999-year lease agreements at The Den

Irwin Mitchell’s Real Estate team has advised Millwall Football Club on the exchange of lease agreements with Lewisham Council, securing the club a new 999-year lease across The Den and surrounding land.

The Championship club has confirmed the legal documentation has now been formally signed following extensive collaboration, providing long-term certainty, protecting the club’s historic home and creating a platform for ambitious and sustainable growth.

With the legal framework in place, the club has said it can move forward with plans to enhance the matchday experience, expand year-round use of its facilities and play a leading role in the wider regeneration of Bermondsey.

Millwall also stated that the lease provides protective space for the Millwall Community Trust, including a brand-new, dedicated facility at The Den, enabling it to broaden its programmes and deepen its impact across Lewisham and the surrounding areas.

Chairman James Berylson said: “This is a defining moment for Millwall Football Club and Millwall Community Trust. Securing a 999-year lease at The Den gives us the stability and certainty every club needs to build for the long term.”

The Irwin Mitchell team was led by Real Estate partner, Stelios Coutsavlis, and supported by colleagues Rachel Dean, Megan Blaxill-Jones and Brie Quek.

Commenting, Stelios Coutsavlis, partner in Irwin Mitchell’s Real Estate team, said:

“It was a privilege to support Millwall Football Club in bringing this landmark transaction to exchange. With the key legal documentation now agreed and exchanged, the club has the framework to move forward with its plans for The Den - from improving the matchday experience and unlocking more year-round use of the facilities, to supporting the Millwall Community Trust’s work in the local community.”

Irwin Mitchell worked closely with Joe Selby and Matthew Black at Selby Projects throughout the transaction.

Irwin Mitchell has also advised Millwall previously on major projects.  In 2024, the law firm’s planning team supported the club’s proposals for a new training ground in West Kingsdown, near Brands Hatch in Kent, on a 50-acre site.