Agenda item

To receive and consider the report of the Chief Executive, and Head of Regeneration – Alexandra Palace, detailing :

 

• the Gateway Review

 

• Presentation of final Conservation  Management Plan

 

• Regeneration Business Case and Spatial Masterplan

 

 

Duncan Wilson – Chief Executive, Alexandra Palace - introduced the report as set out. 

 

NOTED:

·        The key recommendation of the Gateway Review was detailed at paragraph 6.4 of the report.  The draft copy of the report was attached as a restricted appendix, and could be discussed during the exempt proceedings of the meeting.

·        Thoughts were being given as to the ‘next steps’ and a separate meeting would be arranged for the Board to discuss options in further detail.

·        The HLF bid would be made in November, following the Alexandra Palace and Park Board meeting on 6 November.

 

The following responses were provided to questions from the Board:

·        Funding was available for current year to cover the costs of advice to get through to the next stage of the HLF bids.

·        The report could not currently be made public, as it contained commercially sensitive information.

 

Conservation Management Plan

 

Duncan Wilson introduced Francis Maude – Donald Insall Associates – who provided an update on the key changes to the Conservation Management Plan.  Copies of the presentation are available from the Clerk on request.

 

NOTED:

·        Consultation feedback had been received from a number of sources:

-          English Heritage

-          Alexandra Palace Television Group

-          Friends of the Alexandra Palace Theatre

-          London Borough of Haringey

-          Key individuals who worked on the post 1980 fire restoration

-          Individual comments expressed as part of the recent public consultation exercise

·        Additional information was received from:

-          Farrells

-          Fourth Street

-          Bonner Keenlyside

-          Friends of the Theatre

-          WSP Group

·        The changes to the CMP were detailed as follows:

-          Buildings

Minor revisions to chronology

Additional text added, particularly in relation to the use of part of the building by the BBC

-          Assessment of significance

Increased emphasis on the importance of the Palace to local residents

Increased reference to the importance of the BBC studios

-          Conservation plan policies

Increased detail arising from a better understanding of what can be achieved, and omission of unfeasible options

-          Implementation

Increased detail in relation to the Theatre

Addition of a note on funding

-          Gazetteer

Minor corrections and additional detail about the 1980s restoration

General revisions to the theatre section

-          Plate list and Plates

Revised for the post fire rebuild images due to copyright clearance issues

 

The Chair thanked Francis Maude for attending.

 

Duncan Wilson introduced Gary Young – Farrells – who provided an update on the spatial masterplan following the public consultation.  Copies of the presentation are available from the Clerk on request.

 

NOTED:

·        Generally, respondents were pleased to see that regeneration was being considered.

·        High priority projects were identified as:

-          Theatre

-          East approach

-          South terrace

-          Great Hall

-          Palm Court

·                    The East/West corridors were considered as low priority, however this could be due to a lack of information / understanding as to why this would be a benefit to visitors at the Palace.

·                    It was important to improve first impressions on arrival at the Palace and work would take place to make it easier to move around the outside of the Palace.

 

At this point in the meeting, the Chair proposed that, as the time was approaching 22.00hrs, Standing Orders be suspended to enable the conversation to continue.  Members of the Board agreed to the proposal and it was

 

RESOLVED that Standing Orders be suspended to enable the meeting to continue past 22.00hrs.

 

A discussion took place and the following was noted:

·        Regeneration would provide new uses for areas within the Palace.

·        Addressing the approach to the building could help in regards to the success of the HLF bid.

·        The hotel was given a low priority following the consultation – this was likely to be due to a lack of understanding by people taking part in the consultation of its supporting role for other proposed uses, and the degree of public access to the hotel itself.

·        The next stage would be to test the market and discuss how to progress the masterplan.

 

RESOLVED

 

i)          That the recommendations of the Regeneration Gateway review report be noted;

 

ii)         That the key changes to the Conservation Management Plan be noted and the document be formally adopted as the Palace’s conservation manual;

 

iii)        That the updates made to the regeneration business plan be noted and the document be formally adopted;

 

iv)        That the proposed changes to the strategic spatial masterplan document as a result of the consultation feedback and regeneration be approved; and

 

v)         That the regeneration programme be progressed to the next stage of work, which would include the submission of a formal HLF bid following the Alexandra Palace and Park Board on 6 November 2012 and preparation of a prospectus for engagement with the market.