The Liberal Democrat leader, Tim Farron, has joined the growing chorus of dismay at Lewisham council’s “extraordinary” plans to carry out a compulsory purchase of Millwall’s land at The Den.

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In a statement to the Guardian, Farron called on Lewisham council to consider the full repercussions of its land seizure. The Liberal Democrat leader said it would be “heartbreaking” if the decision to sell the land on to a mysterious offshore-owned property developer led to the club having to consider leaving the borough.

“Football clubs are a crucial part of British society and are at the heart of our communities,” Farron said. “I know how heartbreaking it would be for Millwall’s fans and the local community if their club was forced to move against their wishes. The details of this case seem quite extraordinary and I hope that the council don’t take actions that could risk the club’s future in the area.

“Fans often worry about the impact a change of owner may have on their club’s future, they shouldn’t have to worry that a club’s own local council would have a profound, unwanted impact. Sometimes fans and clubs need to move ground, or change how they operate, but this should be done with the fans having their say.”

Farron is the first senior Westminster figure to speak out on the issue. His call for the council to work instead with the club and the community comes three days before a town hall meeting at which the compulsory purchase order is due to be confirmed or rejected by the Labour cabinet.

This will be the second time the CPO has been ruled on. The council’s own scrutiny committee urged it to reconsider last September after grave concerns were voiced by senior councillors at both the murkiness of the process and the identity of the parties involved.

Lewisham plans to sell Millwall’s land to an offshore-owned property developer called Renewal, a company whose CEO is a former Lewisham council officer, and which, records have revealed, had the last Labour mayor of Lewisham as one of its founding directors.

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Renewal has never carried out a development on this scale. A draft estate agent sales document has already suggested at least one half of the company has considered the possibility of selling its interest on for a quick profit. The council and its offshore private developer partner have jointly denied that this is the case. Lewisham council released a statement on Friday night insisting it believes Millwall will not have to leave The Den.

It is understood Lewisham’s cabinet still intends to push through a decision that has been condemned by a vast majority of its own backbench labour councillors. However, sources close to the cabinet have suggested the gathering doubts and the prospect of being the Labour administration that forces Lewisham’s only professional sports club out of the borough could yet draw a change of mind from councillors asked to shut out the noises off and act on a point of principle.