Hackney Council has denied it plans to sell off Gillett Square to a developer after DJs at NTS radio station claimed their HQ could be under threat.

Hackney Gazette: Director Sean McAuliffe and founder and CEO Femi AdeyemiDirector Sean McAuliffe and founder and CEO Femi Adeyemi (Image: Archant)

More than 3,500 people have signed a petition since Sunday calling on mayor Phil Glanville to list the Dalston space as an asset of community value (ACV). An ACV gives a layer of protection to land or property, meaning if the owners want to sell it the community has six months to buy it.

NTS DJ Charlie Bones urged his listeners to sign the petition on his ‘Do!! You!!!’ breakfast show this morning.

But the council’s business chief Cllr Guy Nicholson told the Gazette this afternoon: “A developer approached us and offered to buy the Gillett Square car park site, but we are not going to sell it.”

According to NTS, the council was considering the sale of the Gillett Street car park on the open market to private developers, and if the sale went ahead NTS and other businesses would be forced to move.

They believe the move would have signified a “huge loss to the area” in terms of attracting hundreds of artists to the square each week and the work opportunities provided for local young people.

Will Dickson of NTS told the Gazette they were pleased the council had denied the sale rumours, but were concerned its stance could change in the future. ”Whilst we were never worried that the council would sell off Gillett Square as a whole, we were aware that over the past couple of years that have been informal talks at the council regarding the sale of the Gillett Square car park to private developers,” he said.