The Royal Shakespeare Company received a £750,000 boost to its Stratford redevelopment dream today when it was awarded an Arts Council lottery grant.

The money will be used to fund a £3 million feasibility study into transforming the RSC’s theatres and workshops in Stratford.

Directors at the theatre want to carry out a long-term look at how to rejuvenate the facilities to make the town a cultural centre.

More than £3.25 million will be spent on the study, which will begin in autumn 200 and will take approximately 12 months

Following the study, detailed design work will not begin until 2002 and there will be no construction until late 2003 or 2004.

The first section of the project will generate a detailed business plan for the theatre, including a strategy to allow performances to continue without interruption through any period of building and architectural designs.

The second phase will look at getting theatre-goers to and from the area, and how public spaces nearby can be improved to complement the new theatre.

There will be wide ranging consultation with the community, staff and audiences from the early stages of the project.

Adrian Noble, Artistic Director of the RSC said:

“Today’s announcement marks the start of an exciting new chapter for the Royal Shakespeare Company and Stratford-upon-Avon.

“With the exemplary and visionary support of advantage West Midlands, Stratford-on-Avon District Council and Warwickshire County Council, along with our many other supporters, including the Arts Council and West Midlands Arts, together we can now move forward confident that the RSC will continue to play a central role in the success of the region.”