Fresh restoration plans have been drawn up in the hope of safeguarding the future of a listed theatre.

Permission is being sought to embark on major refurbishment work at the famous art deco De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill.

The Grade-I listed structure was built by Bexhill Borough Council in 1935 and because of its status, permission for the work has to come from the Secretary of State.

Last year, a bid for more than £4 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Arts Council was prepared to save the famous East Sussex landmark.

But the council was asked to scale down the plans in order to retain the historic fabric of the theatre, before a decision on whether or not to grant lottery funding could be made.

Plans centre around developing the building as an arts centre and venue for community events, with a new gallery, bars, restaurant and a shop.

Much of the work was included in a set of proposals granted planning permission in 1998, but these have now been modified.

A proposed two-storey workshop, which would have needed extensive excavation work, will now be single-storey and the revised plan also includes a line of trees to mark the north edge of the site.

A two-storey building, a wall and canopy, which planners fear may have caused an eyesore, have been left out of the revised scheme.