Crystal Palace obtain planning permission for Main Stand development which will boost stadium capacity to 34,000

Crystal Place Football Club’s updated planning application for a new Main Stand at Selhurst Park has been approved unanimously by Croydon councillors, paving the way for a transformation of the stadium.

Croydon’s planning committee first gave the application the green light four years ago, but it was delayed by the Covid pandemic and the club recently submitted minor adjustments to the scheme to adhere to new London Plan requirements. This required fresh approval before planning permission could be granted and any work can begin, together with the signing of a Section 106 agreement and approval from the Mayor of London’s Office.

The Main Stand development will overhaul Selhurst Park, which has been the club’s home since 1924, transforming the matchday experience and providing new year-round community facilities. Inspired by the club’s heritage, the design pays homage to the original Crystal Palace on Sydenham Hill and will increase capacity from 26,000 to more than 34,000. None of the changes to the planning application will alter the size or scale. They comprise:

• Minor internal design changes, following advice from a fire engineer, with alterations to the positions of doors and stair/lift cores, the provision of an additional evacuation lift, and additional partitions to separate lobbies
• Minor external changes to the west elevation to reflect the revised positioning of entrances at ground floor, following advice from a fire engineer
• Revisions to the landscaping scheme to reflect consultant advice received on security, landscaping and sustainable drainage, with a clear line of sight to the Fan Zone, the provision of sustainable urban drainage systems on-site and the retention of additional trees

Once planning permission is formally approved, the club will be able to agree plans for the acquisition of six houses in Wooderson Close and relocation of residents, and to conclude ongoing discussions with Sainsbury’s to acquire a piece of land required for the development.

Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish said: “I would like to thank Croydon Council for their continued support for the stadium redevelopment, which will bring substantial investment into the borough, as well as breathing new life into Selhurst Park. We would have liked to have started the project sooner, but our plans were delayed by financial constraints caused by the Covid pandemic.

“In the last couple of years our focus has been on bring our exciting academy development to fruition, but our attention will now turn to the stadium project. It has long been our ambition to extend and modernise Selhurst Park, making it a home fit for the 21^st century.

“We are looking forward to getting started on the project. There is a lot of preparatory work to be done in the coming months and we will update on a likely timetable in due course.”