Transfer of Crystal Palace Park to trust set for completion on 15 September

Following the transfer, the trust will be responsible for the day-to-day management of the historic park, as was always envisaged under the park’s regeneration plan, which continues to make good progress. Further details about these arrangements will be announced in due course.

This news follows the beginning of the handover process this April with the leasing of the park’s iconic concert platform to the Trust. The council have worked collaboratively with the trust, which was established in 2016, with the trust building up its role in the park since then. The Trust is already responsible for managing all events and concessions in the park, for instance.

Philip Kolvin, Co-Chair of the Trust, says: “For our community, it has been a 25-year journey, bringing us to this starting line. We are pleased to cross it hand in hand with our partners the London Borough of Bromley and the many expert groups working in and around the park. Now the real job begins.”

Martin Tempia, co-Chair of the Trust, says: “Since the late sixties, there have been four proposals to commercially redevelop the park. They all failed. It is the community who have come forward and secured a sustainable future for the park. The handover marks the culmination of years of hard work and determination by the many involved in securing it.”

Councillor Yvonne Bear, Executive Councillor for Renewal, Recreation and Housing says: “It is great to see all the pieces start to come together for the regeneration of this iconic park. We have been working closely with the Trust to ensure a smooth transfer to their management, so they have everything they need to hit the ground running. This transfer forms a key part of the wider regeneration plan, which is not only about improving facilities and restoring the park’s historic structures, but also about creating a sustainable model for the future of the park so that the regeneration truly benefits the local community and economy over the long term.”

The council is progressing with the £52m regeneration plan for the park, which received outline planning permission in March 2021 and covers a wide-ranging programme of capital works. This includes the restoration of the world-famous dinosaurs, conservation of the Italian Terraces and Paxton Bust, creating a purpose-built event space on the Lower Italian Terrace and numerous improvements to the park’s facilities, entrances, pedestrian routes and green spaces.

Works are already underway as part of this plan, with the restoration of the Grade II* listed subway making good progress and to be completed later this year. Restoration of the dinosaurs is now beginning to come forward after the welcome funding received from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to kickstart the park’s regeneration plan.

A sustainable business model for the park has been created that can support the maintenance of its assets and spaces, alongside the new managing arrangement for the park under the trust.

Further details on the trust’s plans for the park:

• The trust has secured new maintenance contractors who will maintain the park on the trust’s behalf according to industry best practice following the handover
• In addition to the concert platform, the trust also began managing all commercial and community events in the park, as well as concession agreements, from 1 April
• Sustainability is a driving theme in the trust’s new maintenance specifications, with reduced reliance of fossil fuels, increasing recycling rates, grassland management that improves biodiversity, green waste being composted and reused on site, and perennials and wildflowers in key locations
• The trust is planning a community celebration day on Sunday 17 September to mark this momentous occasion, with additional information to come.

Ends

Editors’ notes:

About Crystal Palace Park Trust

Crystal Palace Park Trust is a registered charity with a mission to preserve, protect, manage and improve Crystal Palace Park. The trust was established in 2016 following a years-long community campaign to preserve and regenerate Crystal Palace Park. The trust’s interim strategy – entitled Connections – lays out its vision for the initial transition period. 

For media enquiries, please contact James George, public affairs, on 020 8313 4565 or email james.george@bromley.gov.uk and Crystal Palace Park Trust at Contact@crystalpalaceparktrust.org.