Crystal Palace Park and NSC Masterplans

Bromley Council are the land owners and local planning authority for all of Crystal Palace Park, that includes the NSC. The Mayor of London, through the GLA , are the long term lease owners of the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre site boundary (approx. 25 acres inside the park, 125 years lease from 2006).  Both Authorities have separate new masterplans underway for their respective areas.

NSC Masterplan Design Studies

19th Jan 2024 – The NSC regeneration project is underway!
 Read about the latest NSC scheme  here.  Complete the new online CPNSC Upgrades Survey form, and attend CPNSC engagement sessions:
 
A five year plan was shown here. The Stadium area refurbishment will need additional funding.

   

21st October 2023 – New plans and dates emerge for Crystal Palace National Sports Centre (NSC) and were shared, with detail of future engagement to agree the NSC masterplan application to Bromley (due mid Summer 2024). See here for GLA presentation:  01 CPNSC-Public Engagement_accessible.

Previous GLA draft design options and NSC masterplan objectives were shown in October 2018. These proposals have generally been abandoned for outside NSC areas See here for more detail. The 2023 proposals now keep the Jubilee Stand and West Stand, and the indoor track stays in its current location.  Indoors, the new proposals keep all four pools and enhanced for flexibility while keeping their strategic aquatic sporting uses for 10m diving and 50m and competition uses. “Early Works” will repair outdoor and indoor areas for short term fixes. Longer term, the stadium has become unfunded and new funds and /or sponsors are needed.

 

Background to NSC Masterplan Proposals

In November 2019 there was Mayoral decision to approves: £1,020,000 for further feasibility and options appraisal for the NSC estate, progressing to concept design stage. This includes procuring a new operator, as the current contract ends in March 2021. The Mayor approves:

  1. Expenditure of up to £150,000 to appoint a specialist leisure consultant to assist the GLA in the procurement of a new leisure operator for the NSC;
  2. Expenditure of up to £270,000 for required surveys for the NSC estate, including a measured survey, arboricultural survey, and intrusive building and services condition survey; and
  3. Expenditure of up to £600,000 for architectural and consultancy services to develop the feasibility design work to concept design stage, reflecting RIBA stage 2, including outline structural and building services design, associated project strategies, preliminary cost information, final project brief and business plan.

17 December 2021 – Mayoral decision “MD2910 Crystal Palace National Sports Centre” – That the Mayor of London approves expenditure to facilitate the comprehensive refurbishment of the CPNSC.  The ‘upgrade and consolidate’ option proposes a transformative and holistic refurbishment and redevelopment of the iconic CPNSC site, delivering a significant improvement on the long-term viability of the centre.  Projected total cost gross of £219m for this option over 25 years, with net cost £85m over this time. This option will prioritise facilities and activities that will generate the optimum net financial impact.   The the minimum refurbishment option was deemed to be suboptimal and poor value for money at £34m.

Turley supported formal pre-application planning with London Borough of Bromley and Historic England, and following agreement by the GLA on the preferred option, planning permission and listed building consent are to follow.

25th  January 2023 However, to bring back grass roots to elite training and world class athletic competitions for London, it looks like extra funds & stadium sponsors needed, as the Mayor of London said:  “...however, it’s been clearly stated that the project needs additional funding..“

26th May 2023 – Mayor announces Improvements to Crystal Palace National Sports Centre

 

Bromley Council Crystal Palace Park Regeneration Plan

9 Nov 2024  – 20/00325/CONDT conditions relating to 20/00325/OUT: Condition 4 – The Framework Landscaping Plan and Landscape Management Plan .  See link for details.

26 JUNE 2023 – HTA Design is appointed to deliver the next major restoration works.
20 FEBRUARY 2023 – Bromley Council is recruiting a design team for an ambitious £17.45 million overhaul of Crystal Palace Park (click to read more). The estimated £1.2 million contract will design and deliver a series of upgrades on two key sites within the historic park – the Italian Terraces and the Lower Paxton Axis, Penge Gate and Tidal Lakes, planned to complete in 2032.

The ‘Regeneration Plan’ includes provision for a robust management and maintenance strategy for the park, which would be delivered by the Crystal Palace Park Trust, and seeks to ensure that the park operates as a viable asset. Read the Trust’s 2022 to 2024 strategy here.

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Following the collapse of the “The Crystal Palace Project” to build a modern version of the original Crystal Palace to the same outline size and scale,  the London Borough of Bromley is actively delivering a sustainable Regeneration Plan for Crystal Palace Park was

Outline plans are on the Bromley Council’s portal with the Outline Planning Application reference is 20/00325/OUT click here for link.

The Development Control Committee Approved “20/00325/OUT” on 25 March 2021.  Officers report:  PLANNING APPLICATION (20/00325/OUT)  Additional documents:

The total cost of the Regeneration Plan was £40 million (and excluding the NSC areas). The proposed enabling development would deliver circa 50% of the funding requirement with estimated land receipts (estimated up to £24.2m), with grant funding and other income sources funding the remainder.

The Mayor of London approved the scheme with conditions, including for affordable housing in 31/10/2022.   Read their full report here: GLA0432 Crystal Palace Park Regeneration Plan stage 2 report 31 10 2022.  The report includes:

Rockhills development:  No commencement of the Rockhills development until the following level of progress has been made on the key heritage restoration works:
o Italian Terraces: A contract has been awarded for carrying out all the stonework at the Italian Terraces and 30% of the stonework has been completed;
o Tidal Lakes: either of the following milestones have been achieved: a contract has been awarded for carrying out all historic landscaping works at the Tidal Lakes and 30% of such works have been completed; or a contract has been awarded for the restoration of all the dinosaurs at the Tidal Lakes and restoration of three of those dinosaurs has been completed.
o Statues: A contract has been awarded for the restoration of at least four statues in the Park and restoration of the Paxton Bust has been completed (but not necessarily moved into position).

Sydenham Villas development: No commencement of the Sydenham Villas development until:
o Italian Terraces: A contract has been awarded for carrying out all the stonework at the Italian Terraces and 10% of the stonework has been completed;
o Tidal Lakes: either of the following milestones have been achieved: a contract has been awarded for carrying out all historic landscaping works at the Tidal Lakes and 10% of such works have been completed; or a contract has been awarded for the restoration of all the dinosaurs at the Tidal Lakes and restoration of three of those dinosaurs has been completed.
o Statues: A contract has been awarded for the restoration of at least four statues in the Park and restoration of the Paxton.

The restoration work to the Tidal Lakes and dinosaurs is estimated to cost £4.8 million and the works to repair and upgrade the Italian Terraces are estimated to cost £12.3 million. These ‘high priority’ heritage related works are expected to cost £17.1 million. By comparison, the value expected to be generated by the enabling residential development sites is £17.5 million. Therefore, in the worst-case scenario that the Council is unsuccessful in securing any external grant funding from central Government or heritage funding bodies, there would be sufficient funding to undertake these works, restore the heritage assets and to deliver the associated public benefits in terms of heritage, culture and public access.

Following further negotiation and discussion with GLA officers, the applicant has agreed to providing a minimum level of affordable housing (without public subsidy) as part of the S106 agreement. This would comprise 24 homes (76 habitable rooms) and equates to 11% affordable housing by unit (13% by habitable room).

Background – These outline plans build on View the full Regeneration Plan  engagement from 2017 and Exhibition_Boards. These proposals have been revised (e.g for a larger building by the Museum for use by Capel Manor College, and at the rear of the Crystal Palace Farm).

Revised Sept 2020

Revised Hard standing Before/ After

 

Read the Crystal Palace Park EIA Scoping Report – here  (linked to planning application 18/00352/EIA) about the Regeneration of the park – here. The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Scoping Report notes the scheme that was assessed in the 2007 is considerably different to the current masterplan, particularly in relation to the NSC and in the landscaping proposals.

  • Up to 210 residential dwellings in 8 buildings up to a total of 5,519 sqm that includes:
  • Rockhills Residential Sydenham Villas Community Centre: 140 new, one, two and three bedroom flats. Buildings step down from five storeys towards the street to two storeys towards the park.
  • Formation of new vehicular access from Westwood Hill (A212) into the proposed residential development at ‘Rockhills’;
  • Amendments to the vehicular access from Westwood Hill to serve new car and coach parking areas and servicing access to Lower Palace Terrace and Italian Terraces;
  • Earthworks to re-profile the landscape on the Upper and Lower Palace Terraces, including repairing and re-building the Crystal Palace basement wall, to create gardens on the Upper Palace Terrace and install utilities infrastructure (for temporary use) on the Lower Palace Terrace to support events on the Italian Terraces; landscaping to the Italian Terraces and installation of utilities infrastructure to create 3.8 hectare event space and earthworks to reprofile landscape in the Transitional Landscape area;

         

Click here for reports and latest information events form Bromley about the wider park regeneration.  

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Updates:

Revised plans Sept 2020 to 20/00325/OUT

Regeneration Plan Statement (26th Sept 2019):

Contact: cppregeneration@bromley.gov.uk with any queries or feedback

Additionally, in April 2018,  Capel Manor College succeeded in a  £4.9 million capital expansion funding for a new state-of-the-art education facilities at Crystal Palace. Crystal Palace Park Farm, managed by the College, will benefit from a complete refurbishment, creating new classroom space and enclosures for the animals and other new classrooms and facilities will be created nearby.  Click here for Capel  Manor news.  In Autumn 2019, Capel Manor College  led a public consultation about their proposals (click here). Read the Crystal Palace Park Trust response here.

In 2021 this was revised with Museum site removed, and the farm site adapted to be more sensitive to the location.   Explore this revised design here.

  Screenshot 2021-04-26 183436

Master Planning History in Crystal Palace Park

The latest wider park Regeneration Plan is not a new plan, but an updated version of the 2007 Masterplan.  The Regeneration Plan criteria:

  • Work within the likely Capital Budget available.
  • Deliver the vision and regeneration aims.
  • Meet the regeneration priorities.
  • Respond to community engagement.
  • Respond to business plan findings including opportunities for income generation.
  • Work where possible within the established Masterplan planning principles.

The 2007 approved Masterplan, identified areas for housing development on the periphery of the park (Sydenham Villas and Rockhills). The capital receipts from the housing would directly enable the wider park’s regeneration alongside additional grant funding, which would need to be secured. This funding is separate to that needed for CP NSC.   Read the Bromley led wider park 18/00352/EIA  planning  application for a scoping opinion here.

Various changes have been made to 2007 Masterplan.  So the planned cricket pavilion facility has been removed.  This was expected to be a community facility with sports centre use, a  multi-purpose clubroom (with changing facilities), which could also be used for meetings, gatherings and other events.  Cricket was one of the first sports to be introduced (as early as 1857) into Crystal Palace Park, and it was considered appropriate to reinforce the heritage of this part of the Park.

The 2007 Crystal Palace Park Masterplan -a vision for a Regional Sports Centre

The approved Crystal Palace Park Masterplan  (link with illustrations)  has outline planning permission for an integrated “Regional Sports Centre” set within the Park.   Over 4 years of preapplication consultation this vision was shaped by one of the five core principles of the Masterplan for a  “sports and events park“.

The new multi-sport regional sports centre (RSC) stadium (link with accommodation schedule) would be sensitively integrated into the landscape. It includes reprovision of the indoor athletics track. With the combination of the new RSC sports stadium (with the indoor and outdoor athletics tracks), and the Grade II* listed sports hall, it minimised the overall net loss of sports facilities.  

The formal sporting facilities proposed for the Park included strategic planning across the Park landscape for organised sporting events and space to undertake runs and cycle routes (for example, schools sports days and triathlons).

The new reconfigured stadium facilities would be located below ground taking advantage of the topography of the Park, with an accessible green roof, and with outside seating up to 3,000 spectators.  The RSC has expected use as a large sports centre,  indicative footprint 10,910-14,500 sqm.  The car parking total was for up to 383 cars, integrated with tree planting to minimise the impact on the surrounding parkland, and with over-flow parking during  major events. It was envisaged that the largest likely events at the Park would be held within the stadium area (for up to 30,000).

Background to the 2007 Masterplan is here and the 2009 Report to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government for the Very Special Circumstances to build on MOL.

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