College Farm Trust teams up with Jeremy Coller Foundation to plan public reopening

College Farm Trust has struck a long-term partnership with the Jeremy Coller Foundation to help fund the refurbishment and rebuilding needed to reopen College Farm in Finchley to the public. The plan is subject to regulatory and planning approvals, after the site has been closed for more than 25 years and its buildings fell into severe disrepair.

Why it matters: - College Farm is a long-closed local landmark in Finchley, and reopening it would return a community asset to public use after more than 25 years. - The project also aims to educate children and young people about farming, animals and the history of food production. - The site’s buildings are in poor condition and include toxic asbestos, making the restoration expensive and complex.

What happened: - College Farm Trust announced a partnership with the Jeremy Coller Foundation on July 23, 2026. - The agreement is designed to create the conditions for refurbishment, rebuilding and eventual reopening of College Farm to the public. - College Farm Trust said the potential funding is subject to the necessary regulatory and planning consents. - At an Extraordinary General Meeting on June 6, 2026, College Farm Trust members adopted new Articles of Association under which the Jeremy Coller Foundation became the sole member of the Trust. - College Farm Trust will remain an independent registered charity with its own board of trustees.

The details: - College Farm Trust owns College Farm, which is located at 45 Fitzalan Road, London N3 3PG. - The site has Grade II listed farm buildings, along with ancillary barns and offices that will need work before reopening. - College Farm Trust said the refurbishment and rebuilding costs are likely to be very substantial. - A new board of trustees was appointed in May 2025. - The board includes former Finchley and Golders Green MP Mike Freer and Finchley Society chair Mick Crick. - The board had been looking for a partner with a shared vision and the resources to cover the costs of the project. - Discussions with the Jeremy Coller Foundation began last summer. - The Jeremy Coller Foundation focuses on positive impact on globally critical issues, including building a sustainable food system. - The Jeremy Coller Foundation is the principal funder of the Science Museum’s Future of Food exhibition in London. - Chris and Jane Ower have run College Farm for almost 50 years and have supported the plans to reopen the site. - The Owers have previously guided the farm through the foot and mouth and BSE crises and through efforts by others to change its use. - College Farm Trust was established to manage and conserve the farm’s environmental, historical and architectural heritage and to educate the public, especially children, young people and disabled people. - A Charity Commission statutory inquiry opened into College Farm Trust in August 2024 over concerns about former trustees’ decision-making. - The Charity Commission appointed an interim manager to oversee the appointment of new members and trustees.

Between the lines: - The partnership signals a shift from preservation planning to a more concrete path toward redevelopment, but the project still depends on approvals and detailed funding decisions. - The presence of a major foundation with a sustainability agenda may help frame the farm not only as a heritage site, but also as a platform for food and farming education. - The current trustees are operating after a Charity Commission inquiry into historical matters, which adds governance scrutiny to the turnaround effort.

What’s next: - College Farm Trust and the Jeremy Coller Foundation will need to secure the relevant regulatory and planning consents before work can move forward. - If approvals are granted, the partnership is intended to support refurbishment, rebuilding and reopening in due course. - The Charity Commission inquiry into historical matters at College Farm Trust will be completed later.

The bottom line: - College Farm’s reopening is no longer just an aspiration; it now has a named charitable partner and a structural path forward, even though major approvals and restoration work still stand in the way.