The Dalston Trust
This proposal for the Colvestone Primary School site emerged from a collective of dedicated local residents and businesses.
The founding trustees began collaborating in September 2024 to develop a sustainable and financially viable proposal for the former Colvestone Primary School under the direction of the newly-formed charitable organisation The Dalston Trust.
The Trust’s purpose is to benefit the residents of Hackney by working with local stakeholders and the local authority to advance education and to provide facilities in the interests of social welfare with the objective of improving the conditions of life for the residents – including the power to establish a community centre.
The Trust currently has three founding trustees who have led the bid process. Discussions are ongoing with partner entities as we look to maximise the public benefit of the Colvestone site, so please get in touch if you are interested in being involved.
You can email us at email@colvestone.org or contact us here.
Background
Colvestone Primary School, built in 1862, is a Grade II listed building designed in the Gothic-style and recognised as an “exceptional public building” within the St Mark’s Conservation Area in the heart of Hackney. As one of the last remaining Birkbeck Schools – established by William Ellis as part of a pioneering educational movement – it stands as a vital heritage asset that embodies the architectural, social, and educational history of Dalston.
The building’s significance is acknowledged through listings on the National Heritage List, as well as its inclusion in local conservation appraisals, which affirm its contribution to the area’s character and identity.
The recent decision by Hackney Council to close the school due to declining pupil numbers in August 2024 posed a risk to the public accessibility and ongoing community benefit that this historic site has provided for over 150 years. In response, the local community successfully nominated the site as an Asset of Community Value (ACV), emphasising its continued potential to serve the social interests of Dalston.
The Council’s acknowledgment of this nomination underpins the belief that the site can be meaningfully repurposed to address contemporary community needs.