Jim Dowd MP welcomes proposed Palace FC move to the park

Local MP Jim Dowd has welcomed the bid by Crystal Palace FC to build a £40m new home on the existing athletics stadium site in Crystal Palace Park.

Palace’s plans are for a 25,000-seat stadium, which could be expanded to a capacity of 40,000, and includes provision for an indoor aquatics and sports complex as well as a community sports facility on the present Crystal Palace National Sports Centre site. Palace boss steve Parish said “I don’t see how you could ever want a slightly revamped Crystal Palace [a reference to Tottenham FC’s plans for CP] over a new, purpose-built stadium,” said Parish, who would look to raise the money for the stadium by selling Selhurst Park,  their current home. “We believe this is a plan that would suit everyone. I have never understood why Crystal Palace wasn’t based in Crystal Palace. There is a sense of logic to this scheme that would build a better future for our club and the local area.”

Local MP Jim Dowd gave a conditional thumbs-up for the plan and said: “Crystal Palace FC is a vital part of the community here in our corner of South East London just asprofessional football clubs are throughout the country. The possibility to return to their original “home” and thus achieve long term security together with providing a sustainable future for the Stadium site is an opportunity thatis unlikely ever to occur again and thus it must be given every chance to succeed. Although there are many legitimate questions to be raised and answered before any progress can be made I am grateful for the openness the Club have shown and for the opportunity I have had to meet with them to discuss the proposal. I hope very much that it is possible to achieve a solution which will benefit the whole area.”