The curtain will fall on a community theatre for 18 months - but it will return bigger than before.

In the second story on plans for a new Hertswood Academy building, the Borehamwood Times looks at the future of the Ark Theatre

Plans were published earlier today for the redevelopment of the Hertswood Academy two campuses, which will include 306 new homes and a single school site.

Under the submitted plans, the Ark Theatre – which opened in 2009 in the school’s Thrift Farm Lane upper site and cost £1.9m to build - will be out of use for up to 18 months while building is carried out.

The school says it has reduced this from a previous estimate of two years and sought to minimise disruption by identifing temporary alternative venues.

Hertswood Academy headteacher Peter Gillett said: “We are working with the Ark Theatre to ensure minimum disruption for users.

“The academy will aim to have alternative provisions in place for any organisation wishing to smaller performance space outside of school hours.”

Plans for the new theatre, which will be incorporated among the community facilities in the proposed new development, will be 47 per cent bigger.

A green room, along with changing rooms, will also be provided for users while an audience of 250 seats will be retained in the new plans.

A new front of house will feature a kiosk, bar and store, along with a platform lift.

Plans also include 172 parking spaces, and alternative venues for community hire including the 290sq m Atrium and a 500sq m sculpture court.

A statement from the school’s theatre reprovision strategy says: “The new improved access and visibility will give the theatre a much better opportunity to increase audiences and the income to reduce this public subsidy.

“It would not be able to do this to the same degree at its current location and that would inevitably mean that the theatre would have to reduce its current programme of events.”

A planning application is now available to view on Hertsmere Borough Council's website.