Lynn Featherstone, Liberal Democrat MP for Hornsey and Wood Green, is campaigning for the retention of the historic BBC recording studios at Alexandra Palace in North London.

The Alexandra Park and Palace Charitable Trust, which owns the attraction, has not negotiated retention of the studios in its 125-year lease to businessman Firoz Kassam of Firoka (Heythrop Park), causing many fans to fear for their destruction or poor reproduction.

Liberal Democrat Cllr Bob Hare, a trustee of the Charity Commission, said: “This is the equivalent of losing Stonehenge and replacing it with a fibreglass replica. The television studios are of vast importance not just locally but internationally. It is a crying shame that in the Charity Commission's rush to complete the deal with Firoka, no thought has been given to their long-term survival. We must do everything we can to ensure that our children do not regret the hasty decisions which are being made about the future of Ally Pally.”

Featherstone is encouraging the general public to petition for a clause to be inserted in the contract to save the former BBC studios – the first in the world to broadcast public television back in 1936 – at the upcoming one-month public consultation to be hosted by the Charity Commission.

In addition, Featherstone’s Early Day Motion in Parliament to save the heritage of the attraction was backed by 29 MPs.

The redevelopment plans for the Alexandra Palace include: retaining existing exhibition space and creating new facilities by refurbishing the major halls; building a hotel, restaurants and bars; providing a community-use leisure facility featuring an ice rink, indoor bowling, cinema, health and fitness club, children’s entertainment and crèche, as well as a heritage museum; and continuing to hold an annual fireworks display. Details: www.alexandrapalace.com