Crystal Palace National Sports Centre set for multi-million pound transformation

Plans to repair the athletics track and improve the indoor facilities at Crystal Palace National Sports Centre (NSC) during the next year have been announced today by the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan.

Opened in 1964, the centre comprises an athletics stadium, swimming and diving pools, together with a gym and indoor and outdoor sports facilities. It has previously hosted international swimming, diving, athletics meetings and motor-racing and was also the site of the first Women’s FA Cup final, but is now in need of major investment and refurbishment.

The Mayor has already committed to comprehensively redeveloping the site, including a complete rebuild of the swimming pools’ structure and improved sporting facilities.

He has now appointed a project director with experience of redeveloping sporting venues and his team is currently working with consultants and architects to devise long-term proposals for the future of the centre. This includes reviewing the scale of the athletics stadium with the Mayor being clear that this must be underpinned by a viable business plan.

However, the Mayor has warned that the level of redevelopment and repair work required is significant and extremely complex and is likely to take five years to complete.

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 are still available for use and it is intended that they will remain open for as long as possible during the longer-term redevelopment.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, commented: “Crystal Palace National Sports Centre is a historic and much-loved sporting and community facility where many UK sporting stars have started their careers and trained, but which is in need of major investment and refurbishment.

“I am completely committed to this once-in-a-generation redevelopment of the site which will secure its future for decades to come. While work continues apace on our vision for the long-term future of the centre, I am delighted to announce that we intend to make a number of early improvements that we hope will make a huge difference to users of the centre.

“Over the coming months, we will continue to work closely with key stakeholders - including sporting bodies and wider community groups - to deliver an outstanding venue that our capital and our country can be proud of.”

By Matthew Neville – Senior Correspondent, Bdaily

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