Historic England has backed Morgan Sindall’s plans for the redevelopment of Crystal Palace National Sports Centre after an application was submitted on behalf of the Greater London Authority.
The heritage body said the proposals would preserve the character of the Grade II\*-listed sports centre while improving access, sustainability and energy efficiency.
The centre sits in Crystal Palace Park, which is also Grade II\*-listed, and borders Bromley, Croydon, Lewisham, Lambeth and Southwark councils.
Historic England regional director Tom Foxall said the scheme would turn the venue into “a sporting facility fit for the future” while keeping features that gave it architectural importance.
He said those features included the visual dominance of the concrete A-frame and the sense of open space inside the building.
Historic England supported a glazed partition between the pool hall and the dry sports areas. It said this would improve internal environmental conditions without undermining the open-plan character.
The body also supported the removal of non-original additions. It said this would improve circulation and allow the original entrance and cafe areas to be better understood.
Morgan Sindall submitted the plans for the Greater London Authority.
Operations director Lee Askey said the contractor had developed the scheme through detailed pre-application discussions with Historic England.
Askey said the project offered a rare chance to improve the building’s environmental performance and accessibility while respecting its heritage value.
The National Sports Centre was built between 1960 and 1964 by the London County Council architect’s department. The project was initially overseen by modernist architect Leslie Martin.
Historic England said some original materials would be lost during the redevelopment. But it said Morgan Sindall’s proposals had merit and would improve both the building and its landscape setting.
The design team included FaulknerBrowns, WOO Architects, Max Fordham, Alan Baxter Associates and Turley.
Historic England said it had asked for more detail on glazing and replacement materials.
_Source: Historic England press release_