Right on the site of the old Crystal Palace, on Crystal Palace Parade. Persmission granted by Bromley, which will get the money, while the adjoining boroughs will have all the traffic and other hassle. It will dominate the skyline, while in no way fulfilling the terms of the Crystal Palace act which said anything on the site should be in the spirit of the original. This has been taken to mean glass and modular. Whereas imaginative and educational might have been nearer the mark. It will include many fast food outlets, thus hitting the nearby eateries. The architect is Ian Ritchie, who also designed the prizewinning concert platform in the park, which looks variously like a rusted landing craft on a Normandy beach or a huge brown half-open laptop. He believes that only those who have studied his work on architecture will understand the aesthetic superiority of his design. There is a website for the Crystal Palace Campaign who are fighting a losing battle to preserve the site, which will give more information.

The mayoral aspect is that the site really affects five boroughs, and in future, such plans would need mayoral approval. It's probably too late.

Penny