A synagogue that has serviced the Shenley community for around 15 years may finally have a permanent home.

Shenley Parks Trust has put in planning permission to Hertsmere Borough Council to use part of the Chapel in Porters Park Drive as a permanent home for Shenley United Synagogue.

The synagogue, which has a congregation of around 150 families, has used the hall on Friday night, Saturday morning and for special events for the past seven years.

This application, which includes installing a partition wall and two new external doors, would mean the synagogue would have permanent use of the end of the hall near the stage.

Chairman of Shenley United Synagogue Anthony Harris said: “It would be a great benefit to us to have a permanent home to worship and hold special events instead of having to pack up all the chairs at the end of Saturday morning services.

“We’re a growing community, with one to two families coming every month. This is something we have been aspiring to since we came into being.

“This plan will also provide a great benefit to Shenley Parks Trust because they will still be able to rent out the rest of the hall for other functions. The Jewish community has been very proud to work with the trust on this.”

He said the synagogue had been working closely with the park on the plans for the past 18 months, and the next stage, if planning permission was successful, would be to put the project out to tender and raise money.

Director of Shenley Parks Trust Glyn Dredge said he had been delighted to be able to offer part of the hall as a permanent home for the synagogue, especially as that part was underused.

He said: “It is part of our aim as a charity to help our community.”

He added the whole process of dismantling the stage and making that part of the hall fit for use by the community could take up to six months once planning permission was granted.