An application to transform the Tally Ho artsdepot into a media centre with a library and reduced arts provision has been submitted by Barnet Council.

The move comes with the council's decision to spend £175,000 on a review to establish how arts facilities could best be provided, which will not be complete for six weeks.

The plan, submitted early last week, could sound the death knell for the project in its current form, removing the showpiece 400-seater main auditorium, 150-seat studio theatre and teaching space for Barnet College.

Artsdepot chairman Tony Alderman said the plan undermined the review: "This is an elimination of the artsdepot and the college provision. I believe there is a legally binding agreement for the provision of an arts centre but I am taking legal advice."

Council leader Victor Lyon said the Tories had to act quickly before current plans, approved by the previous Labour administration, were irreversible.

"If we didn't get the planning application in, there could be problems if we do want to change the configuration. It all comes back to the timescale."

Mr Lyon said he still had an "open mind" as to the artsdepot but would not be drawn on whether theatre space would be provided. He also rubbished Labour claims that they would be selling off three libraries to pay for the changes.

Alison Duthie, artsdepot interim director, said: "It wouldn't be an arts centre any more. The whole point of an arts centre is that it has theatre space.

"The arts centre proposals we have put forward are the ones we believe in. I hope that it the council is looking at it in the light of existing proposals and options and that it is a genuine review and not a foregone conclusion."

July 3, 2002 16:00