66 Crystal Palace Subway Restoration
CRYSTAL PALACE SUBWAY RESTORATION
Work is now well underway to restore the Crystal Palace Subway Following the successful award of £ 2.8m grant funding .
The site is partially located under Crystal Palace Parade , situated on the edge of Crystal Palace Park and forms part of the council ’ s wider Regeneration Plan to restore and rejuvenate the park .
The subway first opened to the public in 1865 and was originally designed by Charles Barry Jnr , and provided access to the Crystal Palace from the high-level station .
The main structure of the subway is a series of spectacular vaults , built from red and cream brick , with an elaborate floor paved in two alternating types of stone .
With the grant funding , and with the support of the Friends of Crystal Palace Subway ( FCPS ) and Historic England , the council appointed award-winning conservation architects Thomas Ford & Partners in May 2020 , to undertake the restoration of the Grade II * listed subway .
The restoration project comprises detailed survey work to understand the current condition of the structure .
Designs are also being developed for a new roof over the east courtyard , to replace the roof that was lost in the years following the great fire of 1936 . This work will enable the development of the detailed specifications necessary for a contractor to fully repair and restore the site .
Once completed , it is envisaged that the subway will be removed from the Heritage at Risk Register and will be safe for the public to enjoy . The restoration project has provided an extraordinary opportunity to secure a sustainable future for the much-loved community asset , which is of significant historical importance .
The current programme of works for the subway ’ s restoration indicates that construction will begin in August 2021 , with the