THE CRYSTAL PALACE – destroyed in a conflagration on December 1st 1936 – could rise from the ashes within the next five years.
Work on the project could start by December 2015, a historic press conference held in Crystal Palace park was told this morning (Thursday).
The initial plans would see the Crystal Palace rebuilt using Joseph Paxton’s original glass building on the OUTSIDE – but with major differences INSIDE.
Other parts of the £100 million scheme include:
- No housing either in the park or on the caravan site – removing the biggest objection of all to the already-approved Masterplan.
- Potential reintroduction of plans to bring the tram up to Crystal Palace
- Existing bus station to be accommodated INSIDE the Crystal Palace
- Retention of the Caravan Club – as the new plans currently stand – in its current setting
The latest scheme to rebuild the Crystal Palace will, like the original, stretch almost the entire length of Crystal Palace Parade and finish just behind the 1950’s TV transmitter – and will need a special Act of Parliament to get the go-ahead.
It will also, inevitably, rekindle the traditional and highly understandable concerns of the Crystal Palace community – and surrounding communities – over traffic, parking and proper public consultation.
Jerome Frost, director of the project’s planning consultants Arup, told the press conference “Traffic will feature very heavily in the way we consider the design. “There’s a chance to remove parking from the park. “We think we can reconcile that – and promote public use including the tram.”
Bromley council deputy leader Cllr Colin Smith told News From Crystal Palace after the press conference had finished that any environmental impact assessment (the lack of which famously sunk Bromley’s plans for the park back in the 1990s) would be picked up, as part of the planning programme. Any planning decision on the Palace would almost certainly be made by the Greater London Authority, he added.
Mr Frost told NFCP: “The design challenge is: ‘how much of this is a replica?’ “The challenge is taking the essence of what the original project was like, bringing it up to the modern day and use new technology to the way the new building operates.”
Crystal Palace ward Cllr Tom Papworth (Lib Dem). who raised concerns over public consultation during the press conference, told NFCP: “The important thing is local people will be consulted. “The one thing that gets me is the guy from Arup said the Masterplan was an example of good consultation. “I don’t think local people would agree.
“What I’d really like to see is some really new and innovative approaches to consultation that don’t just involve leaflets, a website and maybe a group of the great and the good.”
Bromley council leader Cllr Stephen Carr told NFCP: “I wouldn’t say the Masterplan consultation was a sham – but I would say that, wouldn’t I? “I want this to work but I recognise it’s not going to happen unless local people are behind us. “There are always going to be people against it but that’s a fact of life and we’ve got to do all we can to recognise the concerns and deal with them for local people.”
Further info: www.thelondoncrystalpalace.com
Copyright Jerry Green 2013
There’s no discussion of the famous dinosaur statues, created in the 1850s by Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins, and still very much a part of the park. These are in dire need of conservation; they are Grade 1 listed, but falling apart. The only comments in this new plan about the dinosaurs were (1) the surrounding trail will get some lights, and (2) the interpretation centre will be rebuilt. So, we’ll have a well-lit trail around a crumbling pile of former sculptures and an interpretation centre celebrating what used to be there. Act now. Invest in conservation. Require £5million to English Heritage for long term management of the statues as part of this sell-off of a London park.
Joe
Many thanks for your comment – would you like to expand on your argument for an article for News From Crystal Palace please?
I’m aware of your interest in the dinosaurs which brings me onto a second question. Wearing another hat I’m on the Norwood Society committee and wondered if you would be interested in giving a talk to the Society’s local history group about them?
If so, please could I pass your email address on to Alun and Barbara Thomas who run the group? We meet upstairs in the library on the third Thursday of every month excluding July and August.
Best Wishes
Jerry Green