Wire flash
SportsCrystal Palace National Sports Centre in London gets £130 mln revamp, once hosted FA Cup finals
Editorial responsibility
- No named human review is recorded for this page.
- Source reporting is collected, normalized, translated or condensed automatically when needed.
- Automatically published source-backed update
The Crystal Palace National Sports Centre in south London, which hosted FA Cup finals from 1895 to 1914 and events featuring Usain Bolt, Coldplay, and Bruce Springsteen, is set for a £130 million redevelopment. The stadium closed in November 2022 due to safety concerns. Plans by the Greater London Authority and Mayor Sadiq Khan, pending approval by Bromley Council, include a 15,500-seat stadium (expandable to 24,000), a new gym, padel courts, five-a-side football pitches, a 200-metre running track, and an artificial multi-sports pitch. Work is expected to be complete by 2029, with full stadium renovation by 2030. The project has received 390 supportive comments and 406 objections from local residents.
Source report
Legendary Stadium That Hosted Usain Bolt Set for Major Redevelopment
The Crystal Palace National Sports Centre is set to be restored to its former glory following a £130 million redevelopment plan. The iconic stadium in south London shut in November 2022 due to safety concerns and has largely remained abandoned since.
Plans to restore the ground—which hosted the FA Cup final between 1895 and 1914—have been drawn up by the Greater London Authority and London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan, and are expected to be approved by Bromley Council.
Official Statement
A Sport England spokesperson said of the redevelopment plans:
"The Crystal Palace National Sports Centre is tired and dated, and in desperate need of investment and modernisation in order to make it inclusive and accessible to all sections of the local community and to bring it into the 21st century, as well as to set in sound financial footing for the future."
Stadium Capacity and History
- Seating capacity: 15,500 (expandable to 24,000 with temporary seating)
- Previous events: International athletics, concerts by Coldplay and Bruce Springsteen
- Notable moment: Hosted Usain Bolt in 2009, one year after he became a double Olympic champion at the Beijing Games
Redevelopment Timeline
Those overseeing the project aim to complete work by 2029, with full stadium renovation expected to be finished a year later. The extensive transformation could mark the return of major athletic events to south London, including potential Diamond League meetings—which would allow Olympic 800m champion Keely Hodgkinson to compete at another stadium in her home country.
Planned Improvements
- Expansion of the gym
- New spaces for sporting clubs
- 3x3 basketball courts
- Six-court padel centre
- Five-a-side football pitches
- 200-metre running track
- Full-size artificial multi-sports pitch
- Outdoor gym and cafe
Community Response
The ambitious plans have drawn mixed reactions from local residents. According to the BBC, Bromley Council has received:
- 390 people in favour of the redevelopment
- 406 people objecting to the plans
This article contains affiliate links; we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from them.
Source
Mirror - FootballWestern
Part of this Story
Abandoned UK stadium that hosted FA Cup finals set to be revived with £130 million