Alexandra Palace Alexandra Palace Way, London, N22 7AY T E

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Anissa Whitehead
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1 Page 01 CONSULTATION Q&A 1. What is Alexandra Palace s Regeneration Programme Tomorrow s Ally Pally? 1.1 Why are you regenerating Alexandra Palace? Alexandra Palace the People s Palace set in its surrounding Park has been a landmark and a place of public recreation and entertainment for nearly 140 years. Although we run an increasingly successful events business the Palace does not generate enough income to support its maintenance and much of the Palace is underused. There is a significant need for investment in facilities, and restoration and where appropriate - adaptation of the unused spaces would allow us to realise the full potential of this remarkable place. So we have developed a regeneration strategy which includes a design-led masterplan for the whole Palace. The Trustees of the Park and Palace are determined to ensure the Palace has a sustainable future as a proud symbol for the area and its community, a thriving destination for live music, sports, and recreation, building on its heritage. 1.2 What is your vision for Alexandra Palace? The overall aim of the Trust is to regenerate Alexandra Palace and Park in the pioneering spirit of our founders, creating a proud, iconic London Destination with global appeal, a successful, valuable and sustainable asset for all, including the local community. 1.3 What does the plan for regenerating Alexandra Palace involve? The plan involves a comprehensive series of related projects for each area of the Palace, which will enable Ally Pally to fulfil its entertainment, business, community and learning potential as well as increase its long-term viability and financial self-sufficiency. 1.4 What does the master plan deliver? Our vision for the long term future of the Palace and Park is to: Establish the Palace firmly for the long term as a major entertainment destination Realise the community and learning potential of the Palace and Park Make the Palace more financially self-sufficient and reduce our dependence on public subsidy Sympathetically conserve the Palace and Park for future generations Our master plan turns these objectives into design proposals for different parts of the Palace. 1.5 What are the key elements of regenerating the Palace set out in the masterplan? Elements of the regeneration programme include: Making essential repairs to the fabric of the Palace and sympathetically restoring it Modernising facilities for delivering the Palace s popular events programme Enhancing the Palace s public realm and catering facilities Increasing public accessibility to the building, including reopening the Victorian Theatre, Theatre Foyer and BBC Studios Active engagement with local schools and the community, encouraging interaction with the rich heritage of the place. It is clear that the future commercial success of some parts of the Palace is likely to be interdependent with that of other parts, for example a hotel would help strengthen our exhibition programme and a theatre with conferencing facilities would help the viability of a hotel. Market testing subject to the conclusions of this consultation will help to clarify the options. 1.6 How do you propose to improve the sense of arrival at Ally Pally? In the original Alexandra Palace masterplan, the building was surrounded by parkland on all sides and visitors arrived by tram and train or along a tree-lined avenue to the North of the Palace. Much of the parkland to the north was redeveloped for housing in the early 20th Century and today there is less of a sense of arrival. A good example of this is that visitors arriving from the East have to walk through a car park to reach the Palace. We are looking to recreate that sense of arrival by improving the approaches to the Palace from the East, West and South. This could involve reorganising the parking around the Palace, resurfacing in high quality materials, and planting trees in appropriate locations. 1.7 Are you planning to make any changes to the road? In Victorian times access road to the Palace was on the north side of the building from the now defunct railway, and the South Terrace connected directly to the Park. Today, a busy road divides the Palace from the Park, diluting the original concept of a Palace set in an urban Park. We plan to adapt the road in order to reduce its visual impact and to improve the relationship between the Palace and the Park. We are exploring the idea of a shared space in front of the Palace for cars and pedestrians, and broader pavements in front of the Terrace. Shared spaces have been successfully introduced elsewhere across Europe as a means of safely integrating cars and pedestrians. A similar scheme has recently been launched in Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London.

2 Page Do you intend to upgrade the entrances to the Palace? When the Palace was designed, back in the 1870s, the building had entrances on all four sides. Today, only two entrances exist, at the East and West ends of the Palace, and the building lacks a grand central front door. We are considering upgrading the quality of the Palm Court and the East (ice rink) Foyer to restore them to their original grandeur, and re-opening on a more regular basis the main entrance on the South Terrace underneath the magnificent rose window. This would provide direct access into a new Great Hall Foyer. 1.9 How will you improve access and people flow within the building? Originally the East and the West wings of the Palace were linked together by grand corridors, looking out onto landscaped courtyards where the West Hall and Ice Rink are currently located. The corridors are still there today, but they no longer connect the two halves of the Palace and they lack the style of the Victorian era. We plan to reinstate the East and West corridors. This will provide a number of benefits: It will allow visitors to walk from one end of the Palace to the other, without having to go outside It will significantly improve the use of the building for concerts and events. It will open up areas of the building which are currently quite inaccessible, allowing spaces such as the Theatre, Ice Rink and Main Halls to operate independently Will you be doing any work within the Great Hall? Ally Pally has played host to many famous performers throughout its history, from Gracie Fields to Pink Floyd; from The Stranglers to Paul Weller. In recent years its reputation and success as a venue for live music and events has been growing significantly, with artists such as Jay-Z and Florence and the Machine having recently performed. In order to capitalise on the growth of live music and events we are looking to upgrade the Main Halls to make them more efficient for organisers and an even better experience for visitors. The Great Hall is a firm favourite of many event organisers and performers and has a licence to accommodate 10,000 people standing. However it requires significant investment to maximise its potential. We plan to upgrade the lighting and heating systems to make them more energy efficient, improve the acoustics and insulation of the roof, as well as improving the backstage areas for performers, VIP s and services. We are also working up more ambitious long term plans to reinstate the colonnades and balconies around the Great Hall to provide first floor circulation space and improve the acoustics further What about the Willis organ? The Willis organ in the Great Hall is a remarkable survival of the Victorian heyday of Alexandra Palace, and working with the AP Organ Appeal Fund we hope to be able to make further progress with restoration to its original grandeur Are you planning to build a hotel within the Palace? As Ally Pally continues to grow as a live venue, there is increasing demand for a hotel on site to accommodate performers, organisers, contractors and the public. We are examining the feasibility of a new hotel in the space currently occupied by the temporary structure known as the Panorama Room behind the South Colonnade overlooking the Terrace. This site was envisaged as a hotel in the 1985 Alexandra Palace Act. The hotel would be built behind the existing Victorian façade of the Palace, with views over the London skyline, and would make use of the iconic West Tower, which has been derelict for many years. The public spaces of the hotel would be open to all, providing restaurant, bar and meeting room facilities opening onto the South Terrace. As mentioned earlier (1.5 ) the hotel is likely to be a key element within the regenerated Alexandra Palace, helping to make other spaces and uses of the building more viable What plans do you have to open up the derelict spaces? Many of the most fascinating and historically significant parts of the Palace, such as the Theatre and BBC Studios, are inaccessible to the public as they are in poor condition. The Trust is committed to finding funding solutions which will bring them back to life for public access and enjoyment What plans do you have for the Theatre? The Theatre is one of the jewels in the crown of Alexandra Palace. Opened in 1875 it originally provided seating for 3,000 and retains its Victorian stage machinery, operated by ropes and pulleys. A feasibility study is currently being undertaken to assess the potential of re-opening the Theatre as a performance space for commercial and community use, from concerts, stage performances and film shows to conferences and learning activities. We are also looking at a scheme for the restoration of the historic fabric, preparatory to approaching the Heritage Lottery Fund and other potential funders.

3 Page What will you do to The BBC Studios? The BBC Studios, at the South-East corner of the Palace, have a unique history as the birthplace of public broadcast television. The BBC Tower, with its iconic mast, was the site from which the first high-definition television programme was transmitted in Sadly the Studios have been moth-balled since 1981 and are in need of restoration. Accessibility needs to be improved. In the longer term, one of our strategic goals as a Trust is for the BBC Studios to be recognised as a World Heritage Site. A variety of related uses has been suggested for the South East wing, including a broadcast museum and archive, working studios, film and TV school use, an arts cinema, café and bar. However all of this would be subject to funding becoming available, and it is likely that a more modest initial phase including a learning centre would be more achievable to begin with. As part of the project we intend to open up the windows along the main South East façade of the Palace blocked in by the BBC, restoring its original symmetrical design and allowing views over London once again What plans do you have for the basement? Underneath the Palace there is a large basement which is now derelict but, in the past, was used for storage, kitchens and to house refugees and prisoners of war. Our plan is to refurbish the basement to provide muchneeded back-of-house facilities, such as storage and plant rooms. We are also exploring the potential of opening up the basement arches underneath the South Terrace, to provide café and restaurant spaces overlooking the Park, as well as potential retail spaces and craft workshops. Not all of these initiatives will happen at once. Some may take a number of years to come to fruition, due to the challenges of funding. However, like pieces of a jigsaw, they will all fit together over time to create Tomorrow s Ally Pally. 2. What about transport and traffic? Transport to the Palace has always been an issue, although to some extent it is one of perception. Alexandra Palace station, a short uphill walk from the Palace itself, runs frequent services to central London, connecting to Kings Cross. This journey should take less than half an hour. Nearby Wood Green underground station connects to central and west London. However these links are not as well known as they might be. As reasons to visit become more compelling, this may become less of a barrier. WSP the specialist transport consultants have been working as advisers on the masterplan, and their initial analysis indicates that improvements to communication, signage and timetabling of existing public transport networks could improve the situation significantly. They also indicate that existing parking provision should be adequate to cater for the developments indicated in the masterplan. Further work will be commissioned as proposals become more detailed. 3. How will you be able to measure if the regeneration of Alexandra Palace has been successful? As well as creating a more sustainable future for Alexandra Palace and its Park, a successful plan will: a. enhance the leisure and entertainment opportunities within North London. b. have a positive impact on the local economy by creating new employment opportunities during and after restoration and construction, for example in running new facilities such as a hotel and the Theatre. c. create new cultural and learning opportunities for London s diverse community. d. increase footfall to the area, benefiting Alexandra Palace s Trust, local suppliers and businesses, and the public transport network. e. reduce and eventually eliminate the public subsidy currently required to support the Palace s operational and running costs 4. How can people find out more about the regeneration of Alexandra Palace? Plans and design concepts for regenerating the Palace will be exhibited at Alexandra Palace from 18 May until 22 June so that Londoners can comment on the proposals being put forward. The exhibition is free and can also be accessed online at 5. If you regenerate the Palace, what will happen to the Park? The Park will remain a public amenity, open free of charge for day to day access. 6. Regeneration Cost Implications 6.1 What is the regeneration project likely to cost? The project to regenerate Alexandra Palace is likely to cost tens of millions of pounds over time, although detailed costs are still being worked through. To realise the proposals we will need to offset these costs against a realistic level of additional income that can be generated. 6.2 How will you fund the regeneration project? There are various models for attracting the level of capital investment required, including private investment, public borrowing, Lottery grant and other charitable fundraising. A staged approach bringing various phases of the project on line over time is likely to be more successful. 6.3 How will you pay back any money you borrow? We will pay back loans with income generated from new uses.

4 Page How will the regeneration affect Alexandra Palace s operating costs? Until recently the Trust has operated the Palace and Park at an annual deficit of just over 2m. This year we have managed to reduce the deficit by 25% ( 0.5m) and with regeneration we intend to reduce it even further. 7. Timing How long will it take? Given the ambitious proposals in the masterplan, these ideas will take a number of years to realise. Our intention is to prioritise those projects which will attract investment; improve the performance of the Palace for live events and realise the biggest community benefits. 8. What will be the economic benefits of the regeneration? The regeneration of Alexandra Palace will have a positive impact on the local community and its economy: New employment and business opportunities will be created, during restoration and construction work, and in running new facilities such as the Theatre and the Hotel Enhanced leisure and entertainment facilities will increase economic activity in the area, benefitting not only Alexandra Palace, but also local suppliers, businesses and the local community Learning and education opportunities will be generated around enhanced heritage and ecological interpretation in the Palace and Park respectively There will be additional local benefits from increased tourism. 9. The Alexandra Park & Palace Trust Alexandra Palace and Park are owned and managed by a charitable trust, created by an Act of Parliament in Our charitable objectives are to maintain the Palace and Park to be used as a place of public resort and recreation and for other public purposes. Since 1980, Haringey Council has been the sole trustee of the Trust, and holds on-going responsibility for its administration. The members of the board are locally elected Councillors, and representatives of the local residents and user groups. The Trust is committed to driving forward the regeneration of the Palace and the maintenance of the Park. 10. Our Team 10.1 Who is developing and leading the master planning process? The Trust is developing and leading the master planning process for the regeneration of Alexandra Palace Who are you working with? The Trust has brought together an expert team to help realise the future including: Terry Farrell and Partners, the world-renowned architects and urban designers WSP, the global transport advisors Donald Insall Associates, the historic building and conservation specialists Colliers International, the real estate experts. 11. Conservation 11.1 How will you ensure Ally Pally is protected in the future? The Trust will remain the landlord of the site to safeguard it, even if a third party events business and a hotel operator are brought in as partners What guarantees can you make that this historic building will not be wrecked by over-enthusiastic building work? Conservation architects Donald Insall Associates are providing us with essential historic building and planning advice on conserving, restoring and enhancing the Palace. We will continue to work closely with English Heritage, the Council s Coservation and d Planning Officers and local amenity groups in developing our proposals How are you proposing to conserve the historic building? A Conservation Management Plan has been prepared as part of the master plan process to guide and advise on proposals for the future usage of the building. It identifies the parts of the building which are most historically significant as well as the elements which are most vulnerable. This is the foundation on which the latest proposals for the Palace are built. 12. Public Consultation 12.1 What is the Public Consultation about? We would like to share our ideas with you, at this early stage, because Alexandra Palace is the People s Palace and we want to hear your views. Your support is essential if we are to make progress with our ambitious plans. Whether you live locally or further away, whether you are a member of an interest group or an event organiser, we would welcome your feedback and comments. This will help us to prioritise our ideas as we move to the next stage of the regeneration process.

5 Page What is the point of holding a public consultation? There are several points to the exercise: a. Over the past few months the Trustees of Alexandra Palace have been developing a masterplan for the future. We would like to share these master plan design concepts and potential future business models for the People s Palace with the community. b. We would like to explain to people the processes that Ally Pally has gone through to get to this point and the philosophy behind the proposals; c. We would like to put the proposals into a financial context for people. d. We would like to gather the community s response to the master plan proposals and find out if people endorse the Trust s potential approach and plans to regenerate this important community asset Are you organising any special activities to take place during the public consultation? A free exhibition of design options for Alexandra Palace and Park, which have been created by world-renowned architects and urban designers Terry Farrell & Partners with WSP will be on show at the Palace during the consultation period What will happen after the public consultation? When the consultation process finishes at the end of June 2012 we will review all of the feedback from members of the public and other interest groups. Your views will help shape the next stage of the masterplan process which will be completed over the summer. We will consider the response and summarise our conclusions which will be published in the autumn When will the public consultation begin? The public consultation will run from Friday 18 May until Friday 22 June How long will the public consultation run for? The public consultation will run for six weeks at Alexandra Palace Where can I find out more details about the public consultation? Further details of events will be promoted ahead of the public consultation on the web page: www. alexandrapalace.com/regen and through the press together with details about how you can get involved How can I get involved in the public consultation and comment on the plans? Alexandra Palace values the community s comments on its plans to give Ally Pally a sustainable future and would like to encourage as many people as possible to join in the activities and provide their feedback through the comment cards available on site and via the dedicated address: regeneration@alexandrapalace.com 12.7 How can I register my opinion on the plans? You can register your opinions in a variety of ways: Fill in the Freepost survey available at the Ally Pally exhibition and Haringey Public Libraries Feedback online at us at regeneration@alexandrapalace.com Call us on

Welcome to the Queen s Square, Croydon Consultation

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