Plans for the £130m refurbishment of a major 25,000-capacity south London stadium in Crystal Palace have been given the green light.

The planning application for the renovation of the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre has been approved with the refurbishment set to feature a revamped swimming and diving pool, as well as a padel centre, 3×3 basketball courts, five-a-side football pitches and a full-size artificial multi-sports pitch.

“This historic and much-loved national sports facility has created so many UK sporting stars,” Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said, “but it needs major investment and refurbishment and I am committed to delivering this.”

A full 25,000 revamp of the athletics arena would make it the 12th biggest stadium in London, and the second largest track and field arena after West Ham United’s London Stadium.

And it would join other London venues of a similar size in being operational south of the river, with Crystal Palace’s Selhurst Park – soon to be revamped itself – sitting at 26,000 and Millwall’s Den at 20,000.

There had been reports that WSL side London City Lionesses could relocate to the staidum.

Crystal Palace homecoming

Liam Conlon, MP for Beckenham and Penge, said: “This is a major milestone and a massive moment for South London.

“Crystal Palace was once known as the spiritual home of UK Athletics, but the site has become increasingly run down, with the pools closed for years and the stadium looking tired.

“This once-in-a-generation project will deliver a revitalised centre, providing opportunities for local people in our area, and inspiring the next generation of Team GB Olympians and Paralympians.”

The track used to host the World Athletics Tour and Diamond League before the Olympics, with a number of world records set there by the likes of Sebastian Coe, Steve Ovett, and Steve Cram, and Elena Isinbaeva – who became the first woman to clear a pole vault height of over five metres.

Usain Bolt and Haile Gebrselassie also graced the surface.