Friends of Ashwin Street move to secure community benefit on sale of public cultural asset

On Monday 24th March Hackney's Cabinet, as reported here, delegated full authority to its officers to sell a key site in Dalston's 'Cultural Quarter': the land and buildings at10-16 Ashwin St.  Our architectural and cultural legacy was to be sold for "best consideration", with no restrictions on their future uses and with no scrutiny of the final deal by our elected representatives to ensure the public's interest had been properly secured. (It looked like Dalston's "Cultural Quarter" was being thrown to the wolves! Ed).

10-16 Ashwin St frontages - originally built as three houses in 1870 to designs of noted architect Edwin Horne

The following day, on Tuesday 25th March, a new association called the Friends of Ashwin Street, served an application on the Council nominating the site as an Asset of Community Value (ACV). The stated objective was to ensure that "future uses of the asset shall continue to serve the social interest and well being of the local community as it has done on the past and in particular by the promotion of the creative arts". Signatories of the ACV nomination include current and previous Dalston Ward Councillors, office holders of several Hackney amenity societies as well as a broad section of our local community.  

The former 1862 railway engineering works of Tyer & Co to the rear of 10-16 Ashwin St 

V22 London Limited (V22) has been managing the buildings as affordable artists studios for the last 20 years. But its lease had expired and the condition of the buildings, for which Hackney had retained responsibility, was precarious, dangerous even. V22 has always enjoyed collaborative relationships  and mutual support with other local cultural enterprises, particularly Cafe Oto and the Eastern Curve Garden. V22 proposed  expansion of their businesses and developing an Ashwin Arts Centre on site and it enlisted their support for V22's offer to purchase the buildings privately from the Council. V22's founding director had also teamed up with Hackney's prominent property whizz and heritage champion Edward Benyon. Their vision looked ambitious, but achievable.

The community's Eastern Curve Garden uses part of 10-16 Ashwin St's land behind the buildings

Hackney's sale of the site seemed inevitable. They buildings "required comprehensive repair, refurbishment and modernisation, at a very substantial cost" which our cash strapped Council could not afford. The Cabinet report noted that the Council was able to sell the buildings to a private buyer and that a discount of up to £2million off their full market value could be offered if the transaction was likely to contribute to economic, social or environmental public benefit eg "In this case ensuring investment in the asset which will benefit the local community." But how could that local community benefit be ensured when Hackney had said it would impose no restrictions on future uses? (V22 told me they had invited Hackney to consider such restrictions, but it had declined. Ed). Was it all to rely only on verbal promises and personal "trust"? What if V22s Directors, or its shareholdings, changed? What if commercial pressures forced a change in V22's priorities or even a sale of the buildings? 

Colourful brick banding, decorative stonework & barley twist columns have been defaced by a layer of shabby white paint

The day following the Friends of Ashwin Street nominating the buildings as an Asset of Community Value, Hackney did a U-Turn. V22 informed the Friends that Hackney was now requiring restrictions as conditions of sale to the following effect:

10-16 Ashwin Street must be used solely and exclusively for the benefit of the local community, and in particular, as workspace and event space for artists, creatives, entrepreneurs, and community-focused organisations and initiatives. This restriction shall remain binding on V22 and any subsequent owner for a period of 15 years from the date of purchase and

If V22 sells all or any part of the property, it must repay to Hackney the net profit earned on the sale calculated in the first 5 years from purchase at 75% and then tapering down by 7.5% each year to 0% in year 15

V22 has also agreed with Friends that it will extend the restriction on the uses proposed from 15 to 25 years and, in view of the Friends concern about the need to conserve the architectural as well as the cultural heritage of the site, V22's founder has sent this letter of reassurance to the Friends:

The alternative, to V22 buying the site with these safeguards in place, is uncertainty. If the Friends nomination as an ACV succeeded and it wanted  to ensure permanent community benefit eg by forming a Community Land Trust (CLT) to buy it, there would inevitable be further delay (of up to 6 months), the buildings would be "mothballed", remain uninhabitable, deteriorate and probably be put on the open market. The Friends/CLT bid would then compete with developers who would offer more - as the Council report noted, some developers"might be able to take a longer term view" about ultimately achieving a more profitable redevelopment ie luxury flats rather than an arts hub.  We've seen before what happens when there's a fire sale of the family silver to the private sector when Hackney was broke.

Hackney's Dalston Lane Georgian terrace, auctioned as one lot to an off-shore company over the heads of the shopkeepers. Fires,  evictions & demolitions  followed. Finally they were re-built in "heritage likeness" with no affordable housing at all.

The unanimous view expressed by the Friends of Ashwin Street was that, with the sale restrictions to protect the community's interest now in place, and the local community's (including the Friends) support for V22's Ashwin Arts Centre vision, the ACV application no longer need be pursued. Hackney had suspended purchase negotiations with V22 whilst it considered the Friend's ACV application. The ACV application has now been withdrawn so that those negotiations can continue.  

 

 

Hackney's Cabinet authorises Council officers to complete a private sector carve up of Dalston's "Cultural Quarter"

Tonight, Hackney Council's Mayor and Cabinet delegated their responsibility to Council officers to make all the decisions on selling Hackney's three sites in Dalston's "Cultural Quarter" to  private buyers. 

This means that the elected Mayor and Councillors do not want and will have no further say on any of the private deals concluded and whether the public's interest has been properly protected.

Hackney recommends private sector carve up of Dalston's "Cultural Quarter"

Tonight Hackney's Mayor and Cabinet will consider a report recommending that all decisions regarding selling off three sites in Dalston's "Cultural Quarter" to the private sector, should be delegated entirely to Council officers.  If approved, it means that the elected  Mayor and Councillor's will have no further say on any of the private deals reached and whether the public's interest has been properly secured.

Part of the former Tyer & Co railway engineering works at the back of the 10-14 Ashwin Street houses

As previously explained here,  the sites for sale comprise the three houses and the rear railway engineering works at 10-14 Ashwin St. In addition there are two vacant plots for development to be sold seperately or along with 10-14 Ashwin Street  - one at 2-8 Ashwin Street which Hackney demolished in 2010 and the second at 3-7 Ashwin St which was destroyed by bombs in World War II. Will there be a Council officer/private sector carve up of these sites without any democratic scrutiny?

 

Middle section of the former Tyer & Co railway engineering works at the back of the three houses at 10-14 Ashwin Street                        

The whole site at 10-14 Ashwin Street was purchased, in Hackney's name in 1985, with government grants and private charitable donations raised by the community educational charity Pyramid Arts Development Company Limited. Pyramid's aims were to encourage the arts including drama, ballet, music, singing, literature, sculpture and painting. It had a stellar line-up of creative people involved but sadly in 1994 financial difficulties forced its closure. (I'm told Hackney refused Pyramid a licence for live perfomance and a bar, so it became financially unviable Ed.). Since 2005 the buildings have been managed as artists studios by V22

Rear section of the former Tyer & Co railway engineering works overlooking the Eastern Curve Garden 

The UKGov grant to help purchase 10-14 Ashwin Street was intended to promote the arts for public benefit, and particularly to benefit the Black Community, not Hackney Council. But the report says Hackney will use the sale proceeds, not to promote the arts for public benefit, but "to bolster the financial resources allocated to projects within the Council's capital programme." It's Equality Impact Assessment states "No negative impacts have been identified as a result of this proposal". ( Hmmmm...As Hackney's Dudley Dryden said to me, when Hackney abandoned agreed plans for a Windrush African-Carribean Centre, "Even what they have will be taken away". Ed.)

Hackney is reported to have spent around £800,000 on doing major structural works and health and safety repairs to the engineering works over the last two years. But, just when its up for sale, Council officers are saying it's now unsafe, everyone must get out, and they are recommending purchasing £63,000 protective scaffolding to catch bits falling off the building.  Did the £800,000 come from Hackney's capital programme which now needs "bolstering". (Is the building more dangerous now than before Hackney spent a fortune on it? Ed.)

Also on the 10-14 Ashwin Street land is the Eastern Curve Garden's only indoor space -  its Hothouse meeting place, its office and a WC. The Council report speculates that "subject to survey and further ongoing investigations, to consider carving out this section" from the land to be sold. How will elected members ensure that the Garden's needs are protected if the private sector deal is left entirely to Council officers? There will be no democratic scrutiny or oversight.

The facades of Edwin Horner's three houses at 10-14 Ashwin Street which have been managed for promoting the creative arts since 1985.

10-14 Ashwin Street are townscape buildings within the Conservation Area and are locally listed as of special importance. The frontage 1870 houses were designed by notable Victorian railway architect Edwin Horne and the 1862 rear railway engineering works was where Tyer & Co produced their patented railway signalling system which was adopted thoughout England and in France.

  

Removal of the shabby white paint will reveal details on the facades including coloured brickwork banding, decorative stonework and barely twist metal columns

These buildings have been independently assessed by expert consultants to have HIGH industrial and architectural heritage value. Planning policies are in place which seek to protect historic architecture and creative uses but, if the site is acquired by mammonists, we can expect endless battles ahead trying to save our local cultural heritage

Local solicitor and founder of OPEN Dalston, Bill Parry-Davies, has written to Hackney's Cabinet raising these points and asking that his letter be given appropriate consideration. If you too have concerns, you can write to the Mayor of Hackney as well by emailing mayor@hackney.gov.uk

£63,000 Council scaffolding job to stitch up Dalston's "Cultural Quarter"

Next Monday Council officers are recommending Hackney buys £63,000 of scaffolding to erect in Ashwin Street, for health and safety, in case bits start falling off its buildings.  There's no price given for the cost of repairs to stop that happening. Or even any independent professional survey to be seen. Hackney are also recommending the outright sale of the buildings, privately, with vacant possession, for "best consideration". Everyone there's been told to get out.  (It does sound like a stich up. Ed.)

If you wanted to read the Hackney Council Cabinet Report, with more about the sell off and the £63,000 of scaffolding which could be arriving soon, you can't.  It's not published on Hackney's website. There's only rogue advance copies circulating marked Supplementary Papers II. 

Update: Hackney have published the report. It's here

True, scaffolding is not really news in Ashwin Street, We've seen it before in 2010, with Four Deaths and a Burial, when Hackney scaffolded and demolished the heritage terrace at 2-8 Ashwin Street. Hackney said it didn't realise that it had owned them since1977 as they gradually fell into dereliction . That site is now up for sale too. And the one opposite, destroyed by bombs in World War II ( I'm getting a sense of deja vue here. Ed.)

The management of Dalston's heritage and cultural buildings, including the Ashwin Street "Cultural Quarter", has been one of neglect, studied decay, sale and demolition. 

Edwin Horne's surviving 1870 Ashwin Street buildings are a fine legacy in Dalston. They should be revealed and cherished, not concealed by scaffolding as if awaiting some mortal fate.  

 (It's rumoured a load of scaffolding has fallen off the back of a lorry locally. Anybody else heard anything? Ed.)

Dalston's "Creative Quarter" and community Eastern Curve Garden are again officially at risk

On 24 March Hackney's Cabinet will be considering the sale of some family silver - sites it owns in Dalston's "Cultural Quarter". The sites include 10 -14 Ashwin Street, townscape buildings which are locally listed and in the Conservation Area. They are currently providing affordable studios for 30-40 artists and have a long cultural legacy, including performance arts, since the 1980s. The site also includes the Eastern Curve Garden's only indoor space - its "Hothouse" meeting place, office and toilet. How will the Garden survive if it loses those, on top of having a redevelopment site next door?

Cash strapped Hackney is said to be seeking a sales valuation based on demolition of the buildings and re-development as luxury flats. It has already said that all the artist tenants must leave by 1st April, because the buildings have suddenly become 'too unsafe' to remain. The Eastern Curve Garden is also partly on the site so a future purchaser could decide its Hothouse and facilities have to go too. 

The sell-off is part of a plan to privatise Dalston's "Cultural Quarter"sites first revealed in 2018. The buildings have a rich legacy of cultural and community benefit, but this has yet to be appropriately valued by Hackney. Responding to community outcry in 2018, Hackney's previous Mayor appeared concerned to ensure that preservation of the local heritage, culture, community benefit and affordable workspaces was fully considered. ( What has changed...will the new Mayor feel the same way? Ed.)

10 -14 Ashwin Street was designed by the eminent Victorian architect Edwin Horne in 1870. The frontages have decorative brick, stone and iron work detailing although these are presently disfigured by shabby white paint. Edwin Horne's other houses in Ashwin Street were demolished by World War II bombs and in 2010 by Hackney Council. He also designed the Reeves and Son Artists Colourworks at 18-22 Ashwin Street and the stations at Hackney Central and Grade II Listed Camden Road.

To the rear of 14 Ashwin St is the former engineering works of Tyer & Co who, in 1852, invented the railway signalling system which was adopted throughout the UK and in France. Consultants, instructed by Hackney, reported that this former factory is of HIGH historic value as forming  part of Hackney's industrial legacy.

Entrance to Ashwin St. off Dalston Lane around 1900 - the Railway Tavern's design is also attributed to Edwin Horne

Between 1985 and 1994 the buildings were occupied by the registered charity, Pyramid Arts Development. Pyramid had raised government and charitable grants to buy and renovate the building particularly for the Black community to teach and promote performance arts. The former Government Minster Sir George Young 6th Baronet personally visited to wish them well - as achive film footage reveals. But for some mysterious reason the buildings were bought in the Council's, and not in Pyramid's, name. Hackney seems to think there are now no charitable or other constraints against their sale. 

Pyramid's musicians included the Grammy Award nominee Steve Marshall, Lee 'Scratch' Perry and the American jazz prodigy Clifford Jarvis who mentored many British jazz musicians there. Early participants included internationally acclaimed  Courtney Pine - a founder of the Jazz Warriors.  Also in 1985, Deborah Baddoo MBE opened a dance studio there which focussed on dance and choreography. Since 2005, under V22's ongoing studio management, many eminent visual artists have benefitted from the facilities including Dame Phyllida Barlow DBE RA, Fernando Marques Penteado, Peter Kennard, Fergal Stapleton and others. 

Could Hackney's latest planning policies save the Cultural Quarter from destruction by the mammonists? The recent Hackney Plan 2033 aspires to protect the Eastern Curve Garden and to resist developers seeking to demolish heritage buildings and changing affordable and cultural uses into luxury flats. But the local cultural economy and heritage buildings are fragile. Even if a private developer promised to try and save the facades of 10-14 Ashwin Street, and give its scheme a new cultural gloss, public ownership and the local vibe will be lost. Like the houses of Dalston Terrace which were sold off, demolished and then re-built in "heritage likeness" with no affordable housing at all.

What can you do about this?

You could write to the newly elected  mayor@hackney.gov.uk  to express any concerns which you have. Does 10 - 14 Ashwin St really need to be sold? If so, couldn't there be a binding condition for refurbishment only and for continuing cultural uses? Doesn't obtaining "best value" include valuing existing social and community benefits as part of the reckoning?

This short 2018 film "Dalston Arts 150" reveals Dalston's 150 year long association with the arts and Hackney's original plan to sell off Dalston's Cultural Quarter sites to "maximise capital value and rental revenue for the Council". That plan could now be realised - the privatisation and loss of public cultural spaces.

Bid made to re-open Colvestone School for public benefit

On 20th January 2025 a consortium of social enterprises lodged a bid with Hackney Council to re-open the former Colvestone Primary School as a community educational, cultural and social hub. The consortium has set out its proposals in an "Expression of Interest".

The Council had resolved in December 2023 that, due to falling pupil numbers and loss of education subsidies, it would close the school. Hackney promised to consult on future uses but the community presently remains in the dark about its current plans. The school finally closed in August 2024. 

An application nominating the school buildings and land as an Asset of Community Value (ACV) was made in September 2024 by members if the local community “to ensure that future uses of the Colvestone Primary School buildings and land shall continue to serve the social interest and wellbeing of the local community as it has done in the past.” Hackney Council accepted the nomination and registered it as an ACV on 19 December 2024  It concluded that “it is realistic to think that there will be a time within the next five years when the main use of the building and land could further the social wellbeing or social interest of the local community ”. 

The consortium includes:

- two charitable museums holding national collections : the Pollocks Toy Museum and the Bakelite Design Trust 

- two arts organisations which manage affordable studios for artists and other creative businesses – V22 and the Bomb Factory Arts Foundation 

- Julian Joseph OBE, Dalston resident Floating Points and other established musicians offer support for a Music Hub where young people can learn, record and perform their music; 

 - the Eastern Curve Garden offers support for managing the open space and rooftop garden and 

-  a number of local independent businesses which specialise in teaching young people furniture making, clothes design and sewing, re-cycling materials, ceramics and meditation 

Opportunities remain open for other proposals including use of the school kitchen facilities eg for teaching nutrition and cooking affordable meals and use of the former nursery school eg for a local shoppers creche 

Bill Parry-Davies who is co-ordinating the consortium’s bid, said “All across London schools are closing as a result of London becoming unaffordable for young families. Local Councils are being starved of government funds and so there is a real risk that these fine public buildings will be permanently lost to our communities. Viable alternative uses which confer community benefit, like the Colvestone School bid, are possible and these would preserve and enhance the rich architectural, educational and social heritage which these former schools embody.” 

Julian Joseph of the Music Hub said “ Often before anything community oriented can be achieved with a building, such as the now former Colvestone School, it’s possibilities are routinely removed before its artistic potential can even start to be realised. Hackney is in a great position to evolve this former school building into a thriving musical facility and absolutely fulfill a great necessity.”

Floating Points said "Nurturing this kind of endeavour would bring about vital and exciting opportunities to my fellow Dalstonites. For education and cultural nourishment within the community I wholehearteldy support this application and have myself benefitted from this kind of programme in my youth"

Eran Zucker of V22 said “Colvestone School offers a unique opportunity to create a vibrant hub for education, creativity, and community collaboration. At V22, we are committed to preserving spaces where artists, makers, and local residents can come together to share skills, create, and innovate. Being part of this project reflects our deep belief in sustainable and inclusive spaces that enrich the cultural and social life of Hackney." 

Background facts 

Built in 1862 in the Gothic style, Colvestone Primary School was one of the six purpose built Birkbeck Schools established by William Ellis. The schools were named for George Birkbeck, founder of Birkbeck University of London and a pioneer in education. The school became publicly owned in 1906 when it was transferred to the London County Council and was thereafter run as a community primary school by the Inner London Education Authority and, since 1990, by Hackney Council. 

Designed by Thomas Knightley, the school, and its forecourt railings, were listed on the National Heritage List as Grade 2 in 1975. It was recognised in the local St Mark’s Conservation Area appraisal as one of the “highest quality buildings” in the area and an “exceptional public building”. 

The Council report of December 2023 outlining its school closure plans stated “The Council has been reviewing options for alternative uses. This is very challenging work in the current economic climate, because it is very difficult to find financially sustainable uses…we will do our best to steer these sites into locally relevant and valuable uses mindful of the extreme financial pressure the Council is under and the need to minimise the impact on our finances. We will take into account the views of the community, the needs of the local neighbourhood, and the need for financial sustainability.” 

Despite a vigorous and strongly argued local campaign by Save Colvestone School, Hackney finally closed the school, and a number of other primary schools, in August 2024 due to falling pupil numbers. There is an overall 20% vacancy in Hackney’s schools and further closures are anticipated.

Colvestone Primary School is now an Asset of Community Value

On 19 December Hackney Council accepted the local community's nomination and has registered Colvestone School as an Asset of Community Value (ACV).  Although the school itself was official closed last August, the ACV decision recognises that the building and land are "of community value" and that future uses could serve "the social well being or social interest of the local community" in the forseeable future. 

Hackney has so far declared 4 of its 58 community primary schools, including Colvestone Primary School, redundant in December 2023 because of falling numbers of children enrolling. Hackney said it would lose £30million of government pupil subsidy overall in 2022/23 due to 20% unfilled school places. Housing costs driving families out of London was one factor cited.( For years Hackney has consistently failed to insist that developers meet its targets to build new affordable family housing in Dalston. Ed.) 

Designed by architect Thomas Knightly, and built in 1862, Colvestone School was one of six purpose built Birkbeck schools. Heritage England listed the school, and its forecourt railings, as Grade II in 1977 and it was acknowledged as being of the "highest quality" and an "exceptional public building" in the appraisal of Dalston's St. Mark's Conservation Area in 2008. 

Replying to Save Colvestone School campaign about future uses of the school the Council stated that "We will seek to preserve the buildings which have a rich history and heritage where possible...it is very difficult to find financially sustainable uses...We will take into account the views of the local community and the needs of the neighbourhood..."

The community's nomination to make the school an Asset of Community Value identified a number of  educational and other uses for the school which are financially sustainable, are needed locally, and which would be of community benefit (Of which more soon. Ed.)

Hackney is presently in breach of an Information Commissioner's order to explain why it is failing to disclose the original  title deeds of the school which, a local resident believes, may contain a charitable covenant restricting any change from educational or charitable uses. In any event, if Hackney decides to sell the school, it could need government approval and, now it has ACV status, the community would have 6 months to make a bid to acquire it (Although, as a public building, we already own it! Ed.)