National Theatre submits back-of-house refurbishment plans

The National Theatre has submitted a planning application to modernise some of its backstage departments, which have not been refurbished since the 1970s.

The plans, which were submitted to Lambeth Council by architects and designers Tom Wilson Studio, detail refurbishments intended to bring the theatre’s back-of-house facilities in line with current health and safety requirements, to better reflect new staffing levels and to meet contemporary workplace and rest area requirements.

The areas scheduled for upgrade include the Grade II-listed theatre’s textiles studio, costume and prop workshop, wig, hair and make-up department and laundry room, located on the building’s fifth floor, the Stage reported.

The planning application said these areas as “no longer support the working requirements and practices expected of a modern theatre”.

“The area has been largely unaltered since the 1970s and in some cases does not meet the needs of modern shows or current health and safety standards,” said Tom Clarke, National Planning Advisor at Theatres Trust.

“Furthermore, its extract ventilation equipment has reached the end of its life. It is therefore proposed that these facilities will be upgraded with improved equipment installed to provide a safer and fit-for-purpose working environment.”

The proposal also specifies that the lighting needs replacing in all areas and puts forward suggestions for minor changes to the layout of the fifth floor, including a new doorway and the removal of dye vats from the textile studio.

“The National Theatre is working to reduce its carbon impacts, with a plan to achieve net zero in 2030,” it says. “The project should seek to reduce energy use through design and as these workshops contain some of the last remaining gas-fired equipment in use in the building, we should remove these to improve safety and help us reduce our fossil fuel impacts."