We condemn plan to flog off part of unique Crystal Palace Park

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The London Development Agency’s plan to flog off part of Crystal Palace Park, in the London Borough of Bromley, has been approved, following a public inquiry last summer.

Crystal Palace Park Upper Terrace. Picture: Mark Green

Crystal Palace Park Upper Terrace. Picture: Mark Green

The plans from the LDA form part of an ambitious regeneration scheme for the park, with disposal of parts of the park for private housing helping to fund it.

Says Mark Green, our South London representative, who appeared as an objector at the inquiry:

‘We opposed the application because Crystal Palace Park is Metropolitan Open Land and should therefore be protected from development. The disposal of open space cannot be justified on the grounds that it facilitates regeneration.

‘Unfortunately the public-inquiry inspector, Mr Alan Novitzky, concluded that there were “very special circumstances” in the form of an overall benefit to the park. We consider that this represents a highly subjective view of the regeneration scheme.

‘Moreover, the regeneration scheme as a whole will cost far more than the proceeds of the land disposal. The LDA itself is not putting any funds into the scheme and it is not clear what other sources of funding are available. So whether the supposed benefit to the park will materialise must be in question,’ Mark concludes.

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