Opposition councillors have described the design of a new art gallery planned for Leicester's New Walk as "architectural vandalism."

Leicester City Council wants the £2.4m gallery to be an international-quality venue .

A motion to be put to a full council meeting next Thursday by Conservative leader Ross Grant says the modern glass and steel design is out of character with the area.

He also claims building the large modern structure on New Walk breaks the council's own guidelines for developments within a conservation area, a claim the authority denies.

Coun Grant said: "I was left with no option than to put a motion to council to try and stop it committing an act of architectural vandalism on New Walk, breaking hundreds of years of planning protection, and threatening the future of the conservation area.

"The council appears to be acting with one set of rules for itself and another for everyone else."

An original £1.1m estimate for the gallery was drawn up by council officers, but now consultants have said that in order to attract exhibitions from all over the world, the new facility will have to cost about £2.4m.

The council agreed to spend this amount last month, despite questions from opposition councillors about the rise in cost.

The council says this was why the decision was exempted from being "called in" by the opposition, an option normally available to councillors who want to look into a decision in more detail.

Coun Grant said: "The public will think the council is acting hypocritically and will not understand why Labour have yet again stopped any public debate."

But cabinet member for culture Councillor Andy Connelly said: "The no call-in was made because it would have delayed the project and increased the costs, which is what people were complaining about.

"Councillor Grant is picking and choosing parts of the council's guidelines while ignoring those which disprove his arguments.

"This motion shows yet again how the Tories are just not interested in investing in our city.

"I would say the design is very much in keeping with New Walk. In fact, it is 100 times better than the building next to it. There is no doubt that it will contribute positively to the area."

The proposed gallery, close to New Walk Museum, will feature two large rooms, a balcony gallery, shops and a cafe.

The Arts Council has pledged £100,000 but the rest will come from the council's coffers, including a VAT rebate received by the authority this year.

People on New Walk yesterday told the Mercury what they thought of the design.

Teacher Fatimah Khan, 26, said: "It will look totally out of place if it's entirely made out of glass and steel."

Kyle Brand, 27, of Evington, said: "They should build it somewhere else, like the main city centre, alongside other attractions such as Highcross and the Curve theatre.

"They should leave the New Walk area just as it is."

But Jennifer Murphy, 24, of Highfields, said it was a "great idea". She said: "I think New Walk is slightly dull and needs a change."