A planning application to refurbish and enhance the National Sports Centre in Crystal Palace has been approved unanimously at the Development Control Committee meeting on 23 July.
The planning approval for the Grade II* listed National Sports Centre, which is located within Crystal Palace Park, includes listed building consent and is subject to a number of planning conditions. It remains subject to the completion of a Section106 legal agreement with the planning applicant, the Greater London Authority (GLA).
The proposals will see the existing swimming pool building demolished, along with Lodge Tower and Lower buildings. The closed diving pool and 50m swimming pool will return in the aquatics hall, with wet changing facilities located in one space and on one level for the first time. The learner pool will be expanded to re-provide a 25m swimming pool, with an improvement and enhancement of indoor and outdoor sports facilities and provision of a replacement energy centre.
The proposals will also see refurbishment of the main building and refurbishment and external works to the Athletics Stadium, with additional seating. The work will also include the erection of a new accessible walkway and improvements to public routes, access, parking and landscaping.
Councillor Alexa Michael, Chairman of Development Control Committee said: “This is a superb scheme which is to be welcomed, with its greatly enhanced sports facilities. The increase in open space in Crystal Palace Park that will be created by this development is also positive, as it also directly supports the park and enhances the openness as well. There is substantial historic heritage, which this application sensitively seeks to retain and address, with listed building consent also being granted.”
Councillor Yvonne Bear, Executive Councillor for Renewal and Recreation said: “There has been historic uncertainty with this whole development proposal, with this latest news being a very welcome and positive step forward. It comes on top of the multi-million pound regeneration work the council has been undertaking in Crystal Palace Park, including work which has seen the historic and much-loved dinosaurs removed from the at-risk register. We are pleased to be working with the Crystal Palace Park Trust, who have been custodians of the park since 2023, thereby securing the long term future of the park as well.”
The Committee noted that extensive and comprehensive public engagement process and consultations have been carried out by the applicant in the past few years, including engagement events in 2023 and 2024. There were 821 responses to the statutory planning consultation, with 390 supporting the application, 406 objecting and 25 general comments made, with the majority of the objections relating to impact or loss of indoor climbing facilities and motor racing heritage.
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