The Crystal Palace Subway is set to receive a grant of £2.34m towards its restoration.
It is hoped that the Strategic Investment funding will trigger further restoration funding securing the subway’s future and enabling Historic England’s ‘at risk’ status to be removed.
The subway is a Grade II* listed building located under Crystal Palace Parade. It is in extensive disrepair and is on Historic England’s Heritage At Risk register.
The news follows the Council’s Executive’s agreement to endorse the recommendations of the Strategic Investment Pot’s evaluation panel. Whilst the confirmation of the grant relies on the support of all 33 London boroughs, including the City of London, and will not be confirmed until mid-November; the grant panel’s recommendation is testament to the increasing recognition of the international importance of Crystal Palace’s heritage.
Councillor Peter Morgan, Executive Councillor for Renewal, Recreation and Housing said, “This is excellent news - the progress made to ensure the future of the subway is also testament to what can be achieved when organisations big and small work together. Since 2014 the Friends group, Bromley Council and Historic England have worked in partnership to enable each other to get the best outcome for this building, for the benefit of local people and the nation as a whole. Finally securing this grant will be a great exemplar of what can be achieved when people come together.”
The Crystal Palace Subway has a dedicated Friends group and is one of the most popular Open House sites in London. In 2017 the subway hosted 3,507 visitors as part of Open House London, making it the 6th most visited venue out of the 838 sites that took part.
Information about the Friends of Crystal Palace Subway, including Heritage Lottery funded research on the subway, social histories and more images are available on the friends’ website www.cpsubway.org.uk/.
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Editor’s notes:
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Information about Historic England’s Heritage at Risk programme is available on their website https://historicengland.org.uk/advice/heritage-at-risk/
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The Executive’s decision remains subject to the council’s call in procedures.
For media enquiries, please contact Andrew Rogers, Communications Executive, on 020 8461 7670 or email andrew.rogers@bromley.gov.uk