Plans to transform Wallingford's listed Corn Exchange theatre have been given the go-ahead by South Oxfordshire District Council.

Now all that is needed is the money to make the dreams a reality.

Philip Burton, the general manager of the Sinodun Players, which owns the theatre, said: "We're absolutely delighted to have got over the first major hurdle to our plans.

"Now we're going out to get builders' quotes for the whole job -- we estimate about £500,000 -- which we will then do in phases, with the first starting this summer.

"We hope to have everything completed by 2008, which is our 60th anniversary and will mark the 30 years since we took on the Corn Exchange.

"We want to complete the work without ever having had to close the building completely -- we are very conscious of our role in the community.

"The theatre is the centre of a lot of community life in Wallingford and we are desperate to keep it open and functioning during the renovation work.

"Now our major task is fundraising and we will be contacting grant-giving bodies like South Oxfordshire District Council, whose officers have been very supportive of our aims.

"We hope to know the full cost by April. A sub-committee has been set up to decide the best way of dealing with the jobs which need to be done and, of course, everything depends on the funds available.

"We hope to start work in July. In December we will decide on the next move.

"But at the moment we're just delighted to be over the first hurdle -- we're really chuffed."

The Corn Exchange is 150 years old this year and was bought and converted to its present use by the Players between 1975 and 1978.

Its facade often features in the television detective series Midsomer Murders, as the Cawston Theatre.

As well as renovations and making the theatre more user-friendly for the disabled, the main difference will be in being able to put on plays and show films simultaneously.

At the moment the theatre can cope with one or the other, but not both.

It will also improve the theatre bar and lavatories and back stage will provide access to the public to a new studio theatre and the cinema.

The wardrobe, construction and painting areas will also be enhanced.