Track stars united in bid to save Crystal Palace athletics stadium from bulldozers reported in the Evening Standard.

This follows the recent workshops staged at the NSC in October, organised by the GLA for the Mayor of London on the future of Crystal Palace National Sports Centre.  See the NSC workshop draft studies and options here.

All options demolish most of the athletics stadium and Jubilee Stand, leaving just the covered seated area in the West Stand, and keeping the high level walkway to access the NSC.   None of the options have an agreed budget nor agreed funding or investment plan.  A brand new building to replace the Jubilee Stand is said to potentially contain a new indoor track area and weight lifting gym.  The area under the existing high level walkway (currently the indoor track) would become a new outdoor public area, allowing “more informal physical activity” to provide “a pathway into sport”, say the proposals.

The new GLA online questionnaire gives little indication that the GLA are also potentially demolishing the 25m pool.   At the workshops, the GLA were considering either investing in a modernised 25m pool, or combine all 25m pool and 50m pool uses into one pool by adding a new ‘moveable floor and boom’ into the 50m pool (and demolish the 25m pool). Illustrations were provided.

At the workshops, options considered removal of most existing NSC car, coach, and minibus parking areas, and for NSC car parking to be rationalised to the area behind the West Stand.  CPSP believe this could be woefully inadequate and a move that could sound the death knell for many activities and sports.  Future park and NSC coach parking was said to be part of the wider Crystal Palace Park regeneration plans (the park is owned by Bromley Council), that removes the park's car and coach parking from the current centre of the park, to the edges of the park.

The GLA design options included the potential demolishing of the Lodge accommodation and conference area, and potential reduction in the combined hockey and football sports facilities. The existing (but disused) stadium bar and stadium hospitably area would be rebranded as a “hub”. This could bring back a bar or clubrooms, and potential repurposing of the indoor football sports area with other new facilities.  There was no commitment to maintain the size and scale of the Crystal Palace Physio Group, one of the local area's largest employers,  and their local NHS Community Healthcare services on site.

Inside the Main Hall, new designs were discussed to better protect the dry side / wet side and make the centre operate more efficiently.  There remains uncertainty on how the spaces will be finally used, and if, subject as part of the new procurement and operator contract.

The GLA picked out some of their workshop design options to illustrate their wider public survey.  But, feedback on all the NSC design options is needed, along with hearing the public’s priorities for the key NSC areas to be improved.

“Trialling the Design Options” survey link:
http://www.on-your-marks.co.uk/#questionnaire

A Community Conference type event is expected in late December or early in the New Year to show the GLA’s finalised design option plans.

John Powell, Chair of CPSP commented: “The detailed workshop design options as presented had not been consulted with Crystal Palace Sports Partnership in any form in advance, which was disappointing.” John added: "The access plans are farcical at this stage and, like many details, they have not been thought through properly if at all. 

"The complete lack of agreed funding and the new uninspired planning objectives gives any future Mayor a clear platform to bulldoze away exceptional sporting heritage at Crystal Palace.  If you want to save the sporting and aquatics and event legacy for South London, this is the time to let GLA know your views on the proposed NSC design options.”

Thank you again,

John V Powell MBE,
Chair, Crystal Palace Sports Partnership
https://cpsp2020.com/news/
T: @CPSP2020 
E: Chair@cpsp2020.com