i) Items raised by Resident Associations:
Alexandra Palace becoming a Sustainability Centre by Adrian Thomas, Warner Estate Residents’ Association (WERA)
Minutes:
Alexandra Palace becoming a Sustainability Centre
The Committee received a presentation by Adrian Thomas, a regular park user and member of the Warner Estate Residents’ Association (WERA) suggesting that the following recommendations towards Alexandra Palace and Park becoming more sustainable be considered and taken forward:
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Possible short term actions (to 2012) |
More challenging (to 2014) |
Longer term actions (to 2016) |
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Events and activities |
1. Network with Haringey Council and local sustainability organisations. 2. Encourage organisations concerned with sustainability and crafts to hold exhibitions at the Palace. |
Promote the Palace as a venue for environmental meetings, conferences and courses. |
Set up an eco-hotel. |
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Energy generation and energy efficiency in public buildings |
1. Complete energy generation survey. 2. Plan to reduce the Palace’s carbon emissions by 40% by 2016. |
Install Solar panels and smokeless biomass boilers. |
Install wind-turbines if feasible; aim for energy self-sufficiency for the Palace, or a surplus. |
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Energy efficiency: homes |
Publicise the Palace’s concern for sustainability, and promote it as a venue for environmental events |
Set up a permanent housing display showing different methods of insulation, draught-proofing and double-glazing. |
Develop display and establish alliances with responsible retailers and builders. |
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Travel & transport: getting to the Palace |
Improve signage from transport hubs and provide better maps. |
Introduce electric/hybrid buses to provide an energy efficient transport system. |
Evaluate bus system and consider whether to introduce a light rail system. |
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Bicycles & walking |
Make the Palace more bicycle-friendly with better parking, marked paths etc., and provide maps for walkers and cyclists. |
Host bicycle exhibition and events focussing on shopping and commuting. |
Organise bicycle retail outlet focussing on sustainable transport. |
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Food production |
Set up food production demonstration plots on allotments, and a community orchard in the Park. |
Establish an alliance with local garden centre to promote sustainable gardening. |
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Waste and recycling |
Establish a waste and recycling policy with targets, and publicise them to all users. |
Recycle surplus timber in the Park in biomass boilers. |
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Biodiversity |
Build on the impetus from the Springwatch event, and liaise with wildlife trusts etc. to improve biodiversity in the Park. |
Consider how the deer enclosure could be adapted to convey more of a biodiversity message. |
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Lifestyle |
Encourage music festival using the Palace and the Park (cf. Victoria Park). |
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Mr Thomas informed the Committee that the proposals had been circulated to members of the local community and had received positive responses.
The general response from Palace officers was that some of the suggestions made by Mr Thomas could be integrated into the usage of the Palace and Park and others were already being progressed. The Committee recognised that there were financial implications to making the Palace and Park more sustainable and that Trustees would require details of how the proposals would be funded in order to consider them. It was suggested that funding could be sought, for example, energy utility companies provided funding for solar panels.
Mr Andrew Gill, Interim General Manager – Alexandra Palace, advised the Committee that a Sustainability Policy was in place at the Palace and Park and an energy survey of the Palace buildings had been completed by the Carbon Trust resulting in an energy saving Action Plan. Plans for improving sustainability, particularly the Palace’s overspending on energy consumption, would be included in any master-planning process for the Palace and Park. Palace officers already liaised regularly with the Sustainability Team at LB Haringey and local sustainability organisations with an interest in promoting sustainability.
Ms Rebecca Kane, Managing Director, Alexandra Palace Trading Limited (APTL), advised that the Events and Venue industry has started to focus on sustainability working and APTL is a member of their Forum. The Palace is committed to sustainability and as part of a recent bid to host a cultural house event during 2012 the Palace was asked to submit its Sustainability Policy. Ms Kane recognised that, whilst it was an important issue, that the backlog of repairs required to the Palace buildings prevented large promoters using the Palace for events such as Eco Build. APTL would welcome any new business but could not commit resources to targeting one specific area alone. Ms Kane suggested that the biggest area where real impact/energy efficiency could be achieved was in improving the building condition as much resource was wasted on heating/cooling using poor systems and inadequate infrastructure. The master plan and levering in investment would be the best way to achieve this sea-change.
In response to some of the recommendations by Mr Thomas, Ms Kane informed the Committee that improving signage in the Park was a priority and that Palace staff were working with First Capital Connect to improve signage from the local train stations with the intention of including maps of the Park on new signage. Ms Kane confirmed that work was being conducted with promoters on the possibility of the Palace hosting outdoor music festivals from 2011.
Mrs Myers reminded the Committee that there had been proposals, as part of a previous National Lottery Project, to build a waste recycling centre in the Paddock area of the Park. The Committee noted that whilst this project had not been taken forward informal recycling facilities were being used in the Park.
RESOLVED
i. That Alexandra Palace and Park staff be asked to look at the possible short term actions for improved sustainability at Alexandra Palace and Park and provide the Board with information on how some of the proposals presented by Mr Thomas were already in place and how further proposals could be taken forward.
ii. That the Board be recommended to consider the proposals for improved sustainability presented by Mr Thomas and Palace and Park staff provide the Board with information (as stated in recommendation i. above) at a future meeting in the autumn and report back to the Advisory Committee.
Local Development Framework (LDF)
Mr David Frith, The Rookfield Association, brought the Committee’s attention to LB Haringey’s LDF (Local Development Framework, a document for proposed spatial planning) consultation which was ending on 22nd June and asked if Palace Officers had taken part in the consultation. Mr Gill informed the Committee that he had read the sections of the consultation which were relevant to the Palace and Park and had sent a summary to Trustees, although he stated that there had been no significant points of relevance regarding Alexandra Park and Palace to draw to the attention of Trustees.
Integrated Facilities Management Contract
In response to Committee members’ enquiries Mr Gill explained that the advertisement in the local press was for an integrated facilities management contract in order to bring both the Repairs and Maintenance and Security services together as one new contract for improved efficiency value for money. This approach had been approved by Trustees.