HTA Design has been appointed by the London Borough of Bromley as landscape architect and lead consultant for the first phase of the Crystal Palace Park Regeneration Plan. This ambitious project will reinvigorate one of London’s most historically and culturally significant parks. Proposals include the restoration of the Grade I-listed Dinosaur Sculptures and the Grade II-listed Italian Terraces, alongside the creation of a more climate-resilient and biodiverse landscape. The scheme will also introduce new play spaces and visitor facilities to support inclusive, long-term use.
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Crystal Palace Park Regeneration
A major landscape-led project bringing new life to Crystal Palace Park’s iconic heritage through biodiverse planting and spaces for culture, learning and play.
One Place, Many Stories
Landscape Design
The London Borough of Bromley has appointed HTA Design as Lead Consultant and Landscape Architect of a multi-disciplinary team of 20 specialist consultants to develop the first phase of the Crystal Palace Park Regeneration Plan from concept to full detail design and construction. Originally designed by Sir Joseph Paxton in the 1850s, the Grade II* Listed Park showcases human evolution from prehistory, represented by the iconic Dinosaur sculptures, to the grandeur of the Victorian era, symbolised by the Crystal Palace itself, relocated to the site from Hyde Park after the 1851 Great Exhibition.
The regeneration proposals will reveal and restore the Grade I listed Geological Court, which includes the Tidal lakes and Dinosaur sculptures as well as the Grade-II listed Italian Terraces, while creating a park that is inclusive, biodiverse, resilient to climate change, and adaptable for a wide range of events and activities. New visitor facilities include a Dinosaur themed play area, a Visitor Centre, heritage trails, and reinstating the Grand Centre Walk to its full width reconnecting it to a new landmark gateway. The landscape design approach maximises park ecosystem service benefits and prioritises accessibility, to ensure that the park can be enjoyed by the wider community while boosting biodiversity.
The Geological Court, home to the ‘Crystal Palace Dinosaurs’ was created by Paxton in the 1850s as a primitive landscape of water and geological strata portraying Britain’s geology. Our specialist team in collaboration with experts at Historic England have developed detailed proposals for the restoration of 30 Grade-I listed Dinosaur sculptures and 14 Geological Illustrations, including the removal of layers of vegetation and sediment built-up since the 1850s to reveal the site’s original features. The design will introduce a new layer of rock outcrops, gravel formations and paleo-inspired planting that will enhance the geological narrative, reigniting visitors’ imagination, and the Victorian sense of wonder for pre-history. The restoration of the Geological Court is made possible thanks to funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
The first phase will also include the restoration and upgrade of the Italian Terraces, where the Crystal Palace once stood before it was destroyed by fire in 1936. The proposals include repairing the Grade II listed terrace walls and balustrades and reshaping the landscape to improve views and accessibility. The restoration of the Italian Terraces will bring back some of the park’s original horticultural spectacle through varied biodiverse meadows and species rich grassland planting, while supporting the seasonal events programmed for the park. New sensitively sculpted ramps and seating areas will be integrated in the park to maximise visitor enjoyment of the monumental scale space.
Sustainability is a core principle of the project. Measures include minimising imported materials, reusing site-won soil, using nature-based solutions and repurposing lake silt to create marginal habitats that enhance biodiversity and regulate water temperature.
HTA Design successfully led the team to secure Reserved Matters Planning Permission and Listed Building Consents in June 2024 and continues to oversee works during the construction phase. The project forms part of a wider Regeneration Plan for Crystal Palace Park that is being co-delivered by the London Borough of Bromley and Crystal Palace Park Trust, and with the support of various partners including Historic England, the National Lottery Heritage Fund, various Friends groups and other stakeholders. Construction is underway, with completion expected in Summer 2026.