Dalston’s ‘cultural quarter’ not up for sale, council insists

Disturbing the peace: the mural on Dalston Lane is next to one of the sites. Photograph: Hackney Citizen

Dalston’s iconic landmarks and cultural institutions are under threat from new council plans, according to a conservation campaign group.

Hackney Council is to seek a “development partner” to refurbish and redevelop four council owned-sites around Dalston Lane and Ashwin Street, under plans to create a cultural ‘Dalston Quarter’.

A number of much-loved cultural institutions are all likely to be affected by the development. These include: The Dalston Eastern Curve Garden, the Dalston Peace Mural, V22 artist studios, Hackney CVS, which lie on or adjacent to the council-owned plots of land

OPEN Dalston, a conservation campaign group, has accused the council of nodding through the sale of the land without prior consultation.

The Town Hall insists the land is not for sale – but refused to rule out putting it up for sale in future.

“The council has not sold the land and there have been no decisions to sell the land,” a spokesperson told the Hackney Citizen.

“There has been an agreed Cabinet decision to consult with local residents and businesses in the new year to inform[…] ideas for future use of the site to maximise regeneration objectives.”

The council plans to transform the sites into a “vibrant, exciting quarter” with a “cultural, creative and community focus”.

Consultation with residents and businesses about how to develop the area will start in the new year.

Four council-owned sites the council is marketing as a ‘comprehensive development/refurbishment package’. Image: Hackney Council

Commercial pressures

A number of heritage buildings are under also threat from the redevelopment, including the Reeves Printhouse on Ashwin Street, the Railway Tavern at number 11 Dalston Lane, the former CLR James library and Georgian Houses on Dalston Lane.

The council report assures “existing buildings with heritage significance will be sought to be retained or refurbished where possible.”

But campaigners say the heritage buildings are inadequately protected.

“The timing of the forthcoming consultation is alarming – coming, as it does, ahead of Hackney [Council] extending the Dalston Lane (West) Conservation area to include the Ashwin Street buildings and sites,” said Nick Perry, of campaign group the Hackney Society.

“It will be too late to ensure the council’s duty to preserve the strong character of this area – architecturally, culturally and socially.”

The Hackney Society welcomes the council’s ambitions for investment and redevelopment, Mr Perry said.

“However, the pressures that any commercial developer will introduce to a partnership project could easily result in overdevelopment and prohibitively high rents to tenants, and must be guarded against.”

To the outrage and disappointment of campaign groups, the council in April failed to award the sites conservation area protection after a consultation on the borough’s protected areas.

A paper on the conservation areas is expected to be considered by the Cabinet in January.