Plans for the long-term future of the Grade II-listed Royal Court Theatre in Liverpool, which includes a multi-million pound refurbishment, have gone before the city council's Regeneration Select Committee.

Discussions are now set to get underway between Liverpool City Council and trustees of the 1,250-seat venue in a bid to secure a lease agreement after the select committee admitted that it was impressed with a presentation by the Royal Court Trust outlining its vision for theatre. Eddie Clein, chair of the committee, said: "There is a definite feeling that we want the theatre to be saved. A theatre has stood at that spot for 100 years and it is part of the arts fabric of Liverpool.

"Clearly there are issues relating to the refurbishment of the building and its lease, which will have to be the subject of further discussion, but the committee's all-party view was that everything possible should be done to help the theatre thrive at the Royal Court." Last month, the Royal Court Trust announced that it had selected designs put forward by London-based architects Allford Hall Monaghan Morris (AHMM) for the revamp of the venue following an international design competition.

AHMM's £10m proposals for the refurbishment of the Royal Court Theatre include an enlarged entrance space and a rooftop restaurant and bar, as well as the reorganisation of the middle two floors to create more comfortable casual spaces for between performances.