Glittering future at Palace

London may soon be home to another world-famous crystal palace - though some might dub it a crystal ball, thanks to its rugby-ball profile.

Designs for the technically dazzling, all-glass structure, 150m long and standing on tree-high stilts, to stand on the site of original Crystal Palace in south London, have been unveiled by architect Wilkinson Eyre.

The vast £45 million, zeppelin-like glass building is planned to point northsouth, like a transept above overgrown

ruins of the former Joseph Paxton's Palace, destroyed by fire in 1936.

On a similar, if horizontal scale to Lord Foster "Gherkin" skyscraper in the City, this potentially startling new icon for London's skyline will offer panoramic views across the capital and south to the Kent Downs.

Filled with 4,500sq m of exhibition space, restaurants and bars, it would form the focus of a mixed-use scheme, including London's first dedicated sculpture park.

In preparing the plans, the architects worked closely with the Crystal Palace Campaign, a powerful local residents' group which has opposed previous schemes for the site, including a vast multi-screen cinema with a rooftop car park.

"The new plan achieves the unique feat of creating impact without encroachment," says CPC committee member Philip Kolvin.

Meanwhile, as the search for finance continues, there is no date yet set for when the scheme will be submitted for planning permission to Bromley council.