Haringey labour in Alexandra Palace Shock U-Turn

12.00.00am GMT Tue 4th Oct 2005

In a shocking U-turn by Haringey Labour Council, responsibility for the management of Alexandra Park has been offered to developers along with the Palace.

Last week, the leasehold of the Palace was advertised for sale for up to 125 years with no restrictions on its potential uses. Anything from a casino to a nightclub could be proposed by developers.

However, Haringey residents have always argued that Alexandra Park should be entirely separate from the Palace.

Haringey Labour Council have effectively broken their commitment to Haringey people on Alexandra Park by offering developers the option of also managing the nearly 200 acres of Park.

The Council always promised to consult fully with local people. This major change in policy has been kept as quiet as possible until the advertising brochure was released.

Alexandra Park is both Metropolitan Open Land (MOL) and a Conservation Area.

The planning rules for MOL allow any developments that can be argued to "enhance the use of the open space". This means that new clubhouses or intensive leisure buildings could be introduced. Existing facilities could be managed more intensively, for example, flood-lighting could be introduced for pitches.

Lib Dem Spokesperson on Alexandra Palace, Councillor Bob Hare comments: "Lib Dems are absolutely opposed to commercial control of Alexandra Park. This is a crucially important local resource, that is as valued by residents from the east as by those from the west of Haringey. On this, the borough must not be divided. The management of this Park must remain under local democratic control, and not become another part of the Palace commercial opportunity."

"The pressure on open spaces over 125 years is likely to increase beyond anything we know now. The restrictions of Metropolitan Open Land and Conservation Area status offer some protection, but there is an open door here for changes that local people will not want."

"The 'fire sale' of Alexandra Palace is bad enough, but to hand over "the management" of Alexandra Park as well is a complete dereliction of the Council's duties. The Labour Council are desperate to do this deal long before next May's elections - another skeleton buried. The whole nature of Alexandra Park as people know and love it is up for grabs."