The Trust was founded, initially as the St. James’s Conservation Society, in 1998, by The Hon. Dominic Elliot and John Beveridge QC, both local residents of the core area of St. James’s, to conserve the world class historic architecture and to preserve the social framework of this small but historically important area from inappropriate planning developments and licensing developments.

In 1999 the Society was incorporated as the St. James’s Conservation Trust Limited and, in 2000, it acquired charitable status.