One of the country’s leading heritage attractions has been awarded £5.8million to fund their redevelopment.

Brighton’s Royal Pavilion Estate will use the Arts Council England cash to fund the first phase of their masterplan which aims to preserve the site for generations to come.

Andrew Comben, Chief Executive of Brighton Dome and Festival, said he was both “proud and delighted” but warned more cash was needed to secure the future of the venue.

He added: “The development plans still rely on an overall fundraising strategy that includes a wide range of trusts and foundations, individual donations and phased Heritage Lottery funding applications.

"We will continue to work with all our partners and key stakeholders as we jointly progress our ambition to realise the estate as a world class heritage site.”

Estate bosses first applied for the Arts Council cash back in 2012. They were told in January 2013 they had been successful but then had to submit further plans before it was yesterday released to them.

The cash will be put towards the first phase of the estate’s £35million masterplan which will see a refurbishment of the Grade I Brighton Dome Corn Exchange and a major renovation of the Grade II Studio Theatre.

In the Corn Exchange there will be a new viewing gallery, audience circulation space and seating.

As part of the Studio Theatre plans there will be a new ground floor bar/café.

There will also be new offices, back of house accommodation, storage, toilets and space for catering as well as a service tunnel built to link all the venues.

The estate had been banking on money from the Heritage Lottery Funding to kick-start the masterplan.

They applied for £14million but their application was turned down in May.

They are now in the process of re-applying for the cash in a series of smaller lump sums which would go towards the £35million total cost.

Although just a fraction of the total needed, estate bosses have hailed the £5.8million handout as a significant step forward.

Councillor Geoffrey Bowden, chair of the council’s economic development and culture committee, said: “Having first-rate cultural facilities are not only a vital means of attracting visitors but also in making the city more attractive to investors. “The kind of companies we’re trying to attract, offering high-skill, high-wage jobs also demand a rich cultural scene and the Dome and Festival and the Royal Pavilion Estate should be the centrepiece of that.”