Crystal Palace in South London is a nice place to see everything from. On a clear day you can see right across to Hampstead in the north of London, writes David Lawrenson.

The area is well known to people in south London if only for the fact that you can see the two TV transmitter masts from just about anywhere within a 10 miles radius.

And yet it has been overlooked as a property destination for quite a long time. Even its name is better known for the TV landmark, the famous glasshouse (which burnt down in the 1930s), the park and the sports arena than for being an actual place.

Indeed, ever since the glorious glass house and concert venue burnt down, one of the main stories at the Palace has been what it should be replaced with.

In the past, many new developments - a good many of them fairly ugly - have been opposed by local residents - many working through the Crystal Palace Campaign, which in the past successfully prevented a 20-cinema multiplex from being built on the historic site.