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Conservation

Alexandra Palace

What is happening at Alexandra Palace? What is our position?

Historic Ally Pally - birthplace of television - is in danger.

One of London's most significant buildings, Alexandra Park and Palace are a Charitable Trust, managed by Haringey Council as Trustee. The Society has played an active role over many years in campaigning for the protection of the Park and Palace. Council is proposing to sell a 125 years lease of the Palace to a private company, Firoka. There was been a 30-day period, ending at noon on Friday 5 January 2007, during which the public was able to make representations to the Charity Commission.

Here are our November 2006 and January 2007 letters to the Charity Commission.

There is now an Alexandra Palace campaign website at www.saveallypally.com

Conserving Hornsey

Hornsey contains many historic buildings: its ancient church tower still stands, now maintained by the Friends of Hornsey Church Tower. Alexandra Palace was listed Grade II as a result of a campaign and research by the Society's conservationists, who have long pointed out its international importance as the birthplace of television. The New River, Cromwell House in Highgate, Hornsey Town Hall and Bruce Castle are important and historic structures or buildings, while the area's Victorian and Edwardian terraced houses are much admired by architectural historians.

Much about the area can be found in Pevsner's Guide, edited by the Society's Vice-President, Bridget Cherry ( Buildings Of England, London 4: North by Nikolaus Pevsner, Publisher: Penguin UK (November 1999), hardcover: 832 pages. We ourselves also publish many acclaimed books and pamphlets about buildings and sites in an around Hornsey.

Haringey Council's resources for planning and conservation are not large, and our intervention has been crucial in drawing to local and national planner's attention the importance of certain sites.

We are represented on the various Conservation Area Advisory Committees which are consulted about development in their area.

Our main means of protecting the historic built heritage of Hornsey is by informing decision-making, and by accurate research.

Hornsey Town Hall

HHS is supporting Hornsey Town Hall being transferred to an independent trust