An abandoned 24,000 seater stadium, which hosted 21 FA Cup Finals, gets the green light for an impressive £130m revamp.
The planned redevelopment of the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre, opened in 1964, have been given the green light, approved by the London Borough of Bromley, with work set to start on 15-hectare site later this year.
It is to become a top quality sporting facility for the area, improvements will be made to the swimming and diving pools, and plans also include building a new Padel centre with six courts, 3×3 basketball courts, five-a-side football pitches and a full-size artificial multi-sports pitch.
According to The Athletic, London City Lionesses, who currently play at Bromley FC, had initial conversations with the Mayor of London’s office over the possibility of hosting matches at the National Sports Centre stadium.
An agreement is yet to be made at what was an early stage. The club have also said relocation discussions are no longer ongoing.
Non league clubs have also played there in the last decade, including Croydon FC, AC London, Bermondsey Town and Wanderers FC.
London City Lionesses have held talks with the Mayor of London’s office over the possibility of hosting matches at the National Sports Centre stadium in Crystal Palace Park.
It could more than double the capacity of their home ground, as the NSC ground seats around 15,500 as… pic.twitter.com/MOtqPNqP4v
— The Athletic | Football (@TheAthleticFC) July 13, 2026
The stadium is on the same site that hosted 20 (mens) FA Cup finals between the years of 1895 and 1914 and also hosted 5 international matches as well as be the home of Crystal Palace in the early 1900s.
3 April 1897 – England 1–2 Scotland
30 March 1901 – England 2–2 Scotland
1 April 1905 – England 1–0 Scotland
3 April 1909 – England 2–0 Scotland
4 March 1911 – England Amateurs 4–0 Belgium
1895 – 42,560 – Aston Villa 1 – 0 West Brom
1896 – 48,036 – Sheffield Wed 2 – 1 Wolves
1897 – 65,891 – Aston Villa 3 – 2 Everton
1898 – 62,017 – Nott’m Forest 3 – 1 Derby
1899 – 73,833 – Sheffield United 4 – 1 Derby
1900 – 68,945 – Bury 4 – 0 Southampton
1901 – 110,802 – Tottenham 2 – 2 Sheffield Utd – 3–1 in replay at Burnden Park, Bolton
1902 – 76,914 – Sheffield Utd 1 – 1 Southampton
Replay 33,050 – Sheffield Utd 2 – 0 Southampton
1903 – 64,000 – Bury 6 – 0 Derby – Largest ever cup final victory
1904 – 61,734 – Man City 1 – 0 Bolton
1905 – 101,117 – Aston Villa 2 – 0 Newcastle
1906 – 75,609 – Everton 1 – 0 Newcastle
1907 – 84,584 – Sheffield Wed 2 – 1 Everton
1908 – 74,967 – Wolves 3 – 1 Newcastle United
1909 – 67,651 – Man Utd 1 – 0 Bristol City
1910 – 76,980 – Newcastle 1 – 1 Barnsley – 2–0 in replay at Goodison Park, Liverpool
1911 – 69,098 – Bradford 0 – 0 Newcastle – 1–0 in replay at Old Trafford, Manchester
1912 – 54,434 – Barnsley 0 – 0 West Brom – 1–0 in replay at Bramall Lane, Sheffield
1913 – 120,028 – Aston Villa 1 – 0 Sunderland
1971 – Women’s FA Cup final – Southampton 4 – 1 Stewarton Thistle
Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said, as per the london.gov.uk website: “I’m delighted that planning approval has been granted for this once-in-a-generation redevelopment of the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre.
“This historic and much-loved national sports facility has created so many UK sporting stars, but it needs major investment and refurbishment and I am committed to delivering this.
“We now look forward to starting the next phase of work alongside partners and the local community to create an outstanding sporting venue, as we work together to build a better London for everyone.”
Liam Conlon, MP for Beckenham and Penge, said: This is a major milestone and a massive moment for South London. Crystal Palace was once known as the spiritual home of UK Athletics, but the site has become increasingly run down, with the pools closed for years and the stadium looking tired.
“Backed by our Mayor, Sir Sadiq Khan, this once-in-a-generation project will deliver a revitalised centre, providing opportunities for local people in our area, and inspiring the next generation of Team GB Olympians and Paralympians.
“The redevelopment is now firmly on its way, and I look forward to continuing to work alongside essential partners including Sir Sadiq Khan, project director Ben Woods and the Crystal Palace Sports Partnership.”
Photo Credit – wooarchitects
Richard Dobson, Area Director for Morgan Sindall in London, said: “We can’t wait to start delivering the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre renovation now that planning has been approved, as we know this project is going to unlock incredible benefits for so many people in the South London area.
“The design for the revitalised centre is a real showcase for what can be achieved when ambitious, innovative planning for a sustainable sports centre is combined with considerate, insightful collaborations with the people, athletes, and stakeholders that are going to be most affected by this transformative development.
John Powell MBE, Chair of the Crystal Palace Sports Partnership said: “After over 12 years of campaigning this is a massive moment for London as one of its most iconic sporting venues can at last rise from the ashes. We are indebted to the dozens of partners, not least the GLA and the Mayor of London who have worked tirelessly with us for over a decade to guarantee the future for a huge sporting asset not only for the local community but the wider sporting fraternity.
“The work doesn’t stop here though – with planning permission in place we now need to secure willing partners and stakeholders to help with funding and renovating the athletics stadium and complete the return of world class sporting facilities in South London.”
Photo Credit – wooarchitects
A statement on the bromley.gov.uk website read: “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.
Photo Credit – wooarchitects
Brilliant news that planning permission to restore the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre was granted last night.
The £130m plans will mean we can train the next generation of Team GB athletes and host international competitions like the Diamond League here in Bromley. pic.twitter.com/rt38RyoIeI
— Thomas Turrell AM (@ThomasFTurrell) July 24, 2026
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