It’s been a long time coming, but south London’s legendary Crystal Palace National Sports Centre is finally getting the facelift it desperately needs with four new swimming pools, a basketball court, a six court padel centre and a carbon footprint slashed by 97 per cent.
The Grade II listed gem, sat slap bang in the middle of Crystal Palace Park, has been a sporting hub for over six decades. It’s hosted everything from the first ever Women’s FA Cup final in 1971 to a staggering 28 track and field world records. But in recent years, it’s been showing its age badly.
The main 50m pool closed back in 2020 after cracks were found in its base. It hasn’t reopened since. For a place with this much history, that’s been a crying shame.
Now, after years of talk, the plans have finally been submitted. And they’re significant.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, first announced a revamp back in 2023, but this week the full scope of the £130million project was laid out. Morgan Sindall Construction, the firm behind Lambeth Town Hall’s 2018 restoration will oversee the rebuild.
And it’s not just a lick of paint. The 15 hectare site is being transformed.
The headline? A new aquatics hall with four pools. That’s right: a diving pool, a shallow pool, a 25m and a 50m all shiny, all crack free, all built to last.
But there’s more. A basketball court. Football pitches. An outdoor gym. A six court padel centre because that’s the sport everyone’s suddenly obsessed with. Plus a cafe, because you’ll need a brew after all that exercise.
Accessibility is being baked into the design too, making sure the place works for everyone, not just the elite athletes who’ve trained there over the years.
And here’s the bit that’ll please the green lobby: photovoltaic panels and a heat pump system are set to cut carbon emissions by a whopping 97 per cent. That’s not just a revamp that’s a statement.
Khan, who’s made no secret of his desire to see the centre restored to its former glory, said: “This is an historic and much loved national sporting and community facility, where many UK sporting stars have started their careers and trained.
“We look forward to working closely with partners and the local community to create an outstanding sporting venue as we work together to build a better, fairer London for all.”
If all goes to plan, the centre will reopen in late 2028. The stadium itself? That won’t be finished until 2030. So it’s a long term project but after six decades of service, and six years with the main pool out of action, it’s a wait worth having.
It’s not just Bromley getting the wellness treatment, either. Enfield’s leisure centre has just reopened after a £7m makeover, and Canary Wharf is set to open an Olympic sized lido in a few months.
But for south Londoners who’ve watched the old place fall into disrepair, this one feels personal. The Crystal Palace National Sports Centre has been a cornerstone of the community since 1964. Now, finally, it’s getting the investment to match its legacy.
Four pools. Padel courts. Basketball. Football. A carbon footprint tiny enough to make Greta Thunberg smile. It’s taken long enough but when it’s done, it’ll be worth every penny.
