The Brisbane Road club and Waltham Forest Council have signed a Development Performance Agreement (DPA), which will allow closer cooperation on developing proposals for the O’s new home, reports Marco Marcelline
Leyton Orient Football Club has taken another step towards building a new stadium after signing a fresh agreement with Waltham Forest Council.
The club and the council have signed a Development Performance Agreement (DPA), which establishes a framework for the next phase of work on proposals for a new home for the O’s.
It follows a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the two parties in September 2025, which established their shared vision for a new stadium and wider development in the borough.
In a press release, the club said the DPA will allow its team to “develop and test emerging proposals, with council officers providing feedback through the process”.
The proposals will also be used to identify “key planning and delivery considerations and explore potential benefits for Leyton Orient supporters, local residents and the wider community”.
The agreement does not itself approve a new stadium, and any future plans will still need to go through the relevant consultation and planning processes.
Leyton Orient currently plays at Brisbane Road, but the club has previously said the stadium’s physical and commercial constraints limit its ability to grow sustainably.
Speaking to BBC Radio London last year, chief executive Mark Devlin said surrounding residential development meant there was “limited scope” to increase Brisbane Road’s current 9,271 capacity to the “12,000 to 14,000” capacity the club would like.
The club has previously outlined an ambition to move to a new stadium close to its current Leyton home, with the aim of having a new venue in place for its 150th anniversary in 2031.
Orient’s wider vision goes further than a new football ground, with the club saying the project could create a “year-round destination for sport, entertainment and community activity”.
It has also previously said a new development could include youth and multi-gender sports facilities, publicly accessible green space and improved pedestrian and cycle links.
David Gandler, majority shareholder of Leyton Orient, said signing the DPA was a “meaningful step forward”.
He said: “Our first agreement with Waltham Forest captured a shared ambition; this DPA gives us the structure to undertake the next stage of work required to test that ambition responsibly and move the project forward.
“Our vision is not simply to build a football stadium. It is to create a distinctive, year-round destination for sport, entertainment and community life – one that protects Leyton Orient’s long-term future, helps drive the club forward, honours our East London heritage and creates lasting economic and social value for local residents.”
He added that the club’s ambition was for the project to support thousands of jobs and create pathways for young people and students through placements, apprenticeships and training.
“Leyton Orient was founded in 1881, and our ambition is for the club to have a new home in place for our 150th anniversary in 2031 – securing Leyton Orient for the next 150 years,” he said.
“There is a great deal of work still to do, but this agreement demonstrates genuine momentum and a serious commitment to the next phase of work.”
Councillor Eva Tabbasam, cabinet member for housing and regeneration, said Waltham Forest was committed to working with the club as it developed its plans.
“Leyton Orient is one of the council’s key stakeholders, and we are committed to working with them as they bring their vision and ambitions for Waltham Forest to life,” she said.
“As the local planning authority, our aim is to ensure that any development proposals deliver meaningful benefits for local residents.”
Mark Devlin, chief executive of Leyton Orient FC, said the agreement was an “important milestone” for the club and its supporters.
He said: “Brisbane Road will always be central to Leyton Orient’s identity, but its physical and commercial constraints limit our ability to grow sustainably.
“The DPA provides a structured framework for examining, in detail, how a new home could support the club’s ambitions while delivering meaningful benefits beyond matchdays.”
Supporters, residents, local businesses and other stakeholders will have opportunities to contribute through a consultation process as the proposals develop, Leyton Orient says.
Read more: Leyton Orient plan move to new home by 2031
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