A five borough summit is to take place to discuss the regeneration of Crystal Palace, according to the area's Chamber of Commerce.

Chamber chair Ray Hall said the meeting, planned for next year, would be the first time in years the leaders from the five boroughs bordering Crystal Palace came together to discuss its future.

Mr Hall spoke as he marked his first year in charge of the Chamber, which he said had “risen like a phoenix from five to 55 members" over the past 12 months.

He said the meeting - already backed by Bromley, Croydon and Lambeth councils - was because after “somewhat ignoring” the areas for many years because it was situated on their borders, councils “now realise the significance the area can take in helping regenerate the whole of each borough”.

Mr Hall’s vision is for a new Crystal Palace exhibition centre to be the major driving force behind regeneration in the area, and he sees the five-borough meeting as a "major development" towards that goal.

He said the area's "brand" - including its rich history, park, and football team - could "again become world famous".

But he said a number of more short term plans were also required to improve business in the area, such as including cleaning up shop fronts, and better marketing the area as a destination for shoppers and nightime entertainment.

He also highlighted transport as central to the regeneration, and said the chamber was 100 per cent behind currently mothballed plans for a tram extension from Croydon, as well as the confirmed 2011 extension of the East London train line to the area.

The chamber is due to hold its annual general meeting on Tuesday evening.

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