Lynne Featherstone MP has welcomed news that the Alexandra Palace Trust Board has formally approved a bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The bid – which has the backing of the Save Ally Pally group and a large number of user and historical organisations – is due to be submitted in the next few days. If successful, it would lead to the refurbishment of both the TV studio complex and the Victorian theatre.

Two years ago, the Board of Trustees decided to abandon the search for a single developer for Alexandra Palace, and agreed to a more realistic and ‘organic’ approach towards development at the Palace, rather than through one developer. This was welcomed by Lynne Featherstone MP and the local Liberal Democrats at the time.

In addition to supporting the bid, the Liberal Democrat MP for Hornsey and Wood Green also recently made a recording for VocalEyes – a nationwide audio description charity – describing why Alexandra Palace is her favourite landmark.

Haringey Liberal Democrat leader, Councillor Richard Wilson, added:

“This bid will help to secure Alexandra Palace for future generations. It will also help unlock crucial funding for the refurbishment and regeneration of other parts of the building, and enable the TV studios to take a real leap towards their deserved World Heritage status.

“Liberal Democrats have been campaigning for 15 years for proper plans to revamp the Palace and Park and so we are delighted to see this happen at long last. This shows what you can achieve if you take local people and local representatives with you.”

Lynne Featherstone MP commented:

“Alexandra Palace is now firmly on the right track, with an imaginative and ambitious programme to restore this cultural gem.

“I have been very impressed with the new team at the Palace. The bid to the HLF has been thoroughly researched and involved local people. The proposals for the theatre and TV Studios attracted particularly strong support in the public consultation – so it’s great to see them at the centre of the bid. I wish the team the best of luck!”