Eastleigh'S millennium dance garden has run into more controversy after plans for the scheme were unveiled to the public.

The project to establish an open-air performance area on the town's Leigh Road recreation ground next to the plush dance and arts centre The Point has taken hours of council debate and has been labelled by some as unwanted and a waste of money.

Labour councillors have waged war on the scheme after five healthy trees were axed and they redoubled their attack when drawings were brought before the borough's Eastleigh local area committee.

Labour leader Peter Luffman said: "Here we are at the end of March getting our first presentation of exactly what is going into our rec - I'm not over impressed with what you are presenting."

Pointing out that the scheme was going ahead and would be complete by June, he said: "Presumably our comments don't matter and the public's comments don't matter."

But he warned: "If you do such things against public opinion you don't usually get them to appreciate it."

Labour colleague Councillor Bill Luffman complained that the local area committee had been completely ignored over the issue and that public opinion had not been sought.

"Looking at the plans now there was no need to chop down those trees because they don't interfere with the dancing platform," said Mr Luffman, who added that other areas of the rec were in greater need of attention.

Labour is also angry that £25,000 of council cash - matching a £25,000 Arts Council grant for the dance garden project - now looks set to be taken from the community investment programme rather than the corporate budget.

But their bid to find out how that would impact on other schemes was thrown out.

Liberal Democrat Wayne Irish said it was an exciting project full of good things.

The grassed area would be increased and 17 trees would be planted.

"We are told this is another elitist project - of course it is not. It is an increase of open space for all the people of the town to use," he said.

Converted for the new archive on 25 January 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.