Fulham owner Shahid Khan splashed out an estimated £5million to buy a slice of the River Thames, to complete the expansion of Craven Cottage.
The club are in the middle of expanding the Riverside Stand in a £80m development that will increase the stadium’s capacity from 25,700 to 29,600.
It has been revealed Khan has paid for a licence allowing the club to move the previous river wall up to nine metres further into the Thames, in order to complete the larger stand.
Sources close to the deal said Khan agreed to pay the millions towards rebuilding the river wall and to secure the licence.
A source said: ‘The total costs includes the repair work, plus a 125-year licence with the Port of London Authority, worth tens of thousands of pounds a year.’
PLA spokesman Martin Garside said: ‘The PLA is required to charge a ‘consideration’ for such developments. Fulham FC will pay an annual fee as part of the agreement to extend the river wall into the Thames.
‘The new development changes the old configuration of the river embankment in front of the stadium, by extending further out into the river bed. The stadium design means the Thames Path — a public river walkway — will pass through the stadium concourse on non-match days. The old stadium did not provide for a public footpath along the river.’
The licensing process falls under legislation called the Port of London Act 1968. It covers the potential effects on safe navigation, river traffic and the environment of all structures in, on or over the Thames.
The Craven Cottage expansion work is expected to be completed in summer 2021 and includes a multi-level stand, corporate hospitality and event spaces.