Crystal Palace plan raises park protection issues

Hazelle Jackson writes:

The latest controversy to hit London parks is whether or not part of an historic park should be sold off for luxury housing to fund the restoration of the park. This raises important questions over the protection afforded to public parkland in London and Metropolitan open land in general.

The issue looks likely to come to a head in recent proposals to develop luxury housing on part of Crystal Palace Park as battle lines are drawn up by supporters and opponents of the scheme.

The London Development Agency Masterplan for Crystal Palace Park includes proposals to sell off parkland on the edge of the park to build nearly 200 private luxury homes. Bromley Council approved the LDA 'Masterplan' in December 2008 despite the application’s conflicting with their planning policies and the Mayor's London Plan. Also supporting the plan as the best way forward to restore the park is the Crystal Palace Campaign, whose spokesman Ray Sacks said: "This is the best comprehensive plan since 1854. We want to save the park from decay."

Lined up in opposition are the four neighbouring boroughs and a number of councillors and amenity groups. London Assembly Green member Darren Johnson commented: "By allowing the partial sell-off of Crystal Palace Park to raise funds for regeneration, the mayor has ignored strong local opposition and set a precedent that could threaten all of London's open spaces. It looks like he has chosen to ignore the contradiction of running a competition to enhance London's parks whilst at the same time giving the go-ahead to build over a section of one."

John Payne, chairman of the Crystal Palace Community Association, said: "This is the beginning of the end for this park and parks across the country." The group has been fighting the scheme since plans were first submitted by the LDA in November last year.

The plans also have the support of London Mayor Boris Johnson, who has written to Bromley stating that the proposals would “result in ... a significant benefit to south London". A spokesman for the Mayor said: "The new homes are limited to two sites that have never been part of the formal park, and both have previously been built on. There will be no precedent, as historically Crystal Palace Park has funded its upkeep by selling land for housing on its fringes."

The mayor’s support comes despite a manifesto promise he would protect green spaces, and even individual gardens, from ‘greedy developers’ and generated an angry response from John Payne who said: 'We hoped and expected Mr Johnson to reverse the plans and are shocked by his support for them."

As the proposals for development on Metropolitan Open Land and protected parkland are contrary to policies in Bromley's UDP, this is known as a 'Departure Application' and Bromley must refer it to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (DCLG). In January the Communities Secretary, Hazel Blears, called in the plans and signalled her intention to hold a public inquiry.

The Masterplan for Crystal Palace Park is by Latz and Partner At the moment work is concentrated on the removal of asbestos from the National Sports Centre in readiness for its use as a training pool for the Olympics. (Check Google for latest update). Latz and Partner have also won the competition for a Masterplan for the Lea River Park which will link the Olympics Park southwards to the river.

Further reading:

• Crystal Palace Park Masterplan
• Crystal Palace Community Association