Regeneration project: Crystal Palace National Sports Centre
Latest Project News
The project continues to progress well with procurement currently taking place to bring a construction partner on board. The construction partner will provide expert advice on logistics and programme and fully develop the technical designs, including proposals to decarbonise the centre and go ‘all electric’ in energy use terms.
The Green Finance Fund allocation to the project, announced earlier this year will support the centre to go all-electric and reduce carbon emissions, eliminating the reliance on fossil fuels for the first time in its 60-year history. The additional investment will go towards energy efficiency measures at the renovated Crystal Palace National Sports Centre and a new energy network, including the proposed installation of heat pumps to serve both the Sports Centre, adjacent stadium, and associated sporting facilities.
A revised planning submission date for 2025 allows for the new energy network and heat pumps to be included within the 5-year delivery plan programme. The phased target openings for facilities across the estate remain for 2027 and 2028.
The project is currently at the mid-point of the contractor procurement process, aiming to have a contractor on board by Spring 2025. A planning submission will follow later in the year with works programmed to start on site in 2026.
Background
The Crystal Palace National Sports Centre (CPNSC) is an iconic Grade II* listed multi-sports venue located in South London. Constructed in 1964, the 60-year old estate is in need of major investment and refurbishment.
The Mayor is committed to delivering a once-in-a-generation redevelopment of the CPNSC, securing a sustainable future for the community sports facilities and encouraging participation in movement and physical activity.
A GLA team with experience of redeveloping sporting venues has been set up to lead the project. The team are working with consultants to develop long-term proposals for the future of the centre.
Early improvements
Several early improvements have been completed in the last year, including a refurbishment of the athletics stadium track and indoor straight, the opening of a new café and children's soft play, the sanding and re-lining of the main arena flooring and the installation of temporary floodlights while the detailed work for the wider project is being developed.
Large parts of the centre, including the 25 metre and teaching swimming pools, the athletics facilities, the indoor sports hall and gym and the outside courts and pitches are still available for use. It is intended that they will remain open for as long as possible during the longer-term redevelopment.
About the CPNSC
The CPNSC is a large multi-use sports centre and athletics stadium, comprising the Grade II* National Recreation Centre, the stadium, supporting ancillary accommodation and outdoor sports areas.
The CPNSC sits in the middle of Crystal Palace Park, located in the London Borough of Bromley, immediately to the north-east of Upper Norwood. The park borders the London boroughs of Southwark, Lambeth, Croydon, and Lewisham.
The Park itself is a Grade II* listed landscape and contains the internationally significant Grade I listed prehistoric animal sculptures, the Crystal Palace Dinosaurs.
The historic sporting venue has previously hosted international swimming, diving, athletics meetings and motor-racing and was also the site of the first Women’s FA Cup final.
Crystal Palace Park Regeneration
The London Borough of Bromley, together with the Crystal Palace Park Trust, are bringing forward a Regeneration Plan for the wider park. The Regeneration Plan aims to deliver community-led aspirations for a restored and vibrant metropolitan park, which is an asset to its surrounding communities and visitors from across the UK.
The GLA are working together with the Park Trust and LB Bromley to coordinate and work collaboratively on the emerging developments.
Management of the CPSNC
The centre is currently managed by Greenwich Leisure Limited (GLL) under their Better brand on behalf of the GLA.
GLL will provide continuity of service for the duration of the capital works programme and will help support keeping as much of the facility open at any one time.
Short-term park improvements, now completed
The Mayor, with support from Historic England and Bromley Council, funded several improvements to the park in a £2.4m scheme. The improvement scheme was completed in May 2019 and included:
- A new skatepark
- The conservation of some of the Grade I listed dinosaurs, the Grade II listed sphinxes and south terrace steps
- Landscaping and removal of disused structures
- Building of a new café and community space
Since then, the Mayor has supported two crowdfunded projects in the park:
- A Crowdfund London project, Bridges to the Crystal Palace Dinosaurs was completed in 2021. The bridge is intended to help the monitoring and conservation of the Grade I listed sculptures, as well as facilitate educational interpretation tours and workshops. The bridge works on a central pivot, restricting access to the islands when not in use, and has won several design awards.
- The Crystal Palace Park Bowl is due to reopen following a Mayor of London supported crowdfund campaign, through the Make London programme. The project received £18,000 from the Make London fund, for repair and renovation work to re-establish the Bowl as an open-air, live music venue.
Stay up to date
Subscribe to our newsletter to receive updates about the project, events and opportunities to get involved.
Sign up to receive project updates for the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre
Need a document on this page in an accessible format?
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of a PDF or other document on this page in a more accessible format, please get in touch via our online form and tell us which format you need.
It will also help us if you tell us which assistive technology you use. We’ll consider your request and get back to you in 5 working days.