IT cost about £60,000 to build using the latest hi-tech computer technology.

But visitors are more likely to be impressed by the accompanying fly-through animation than the giant model of the city that is meant to be the centrepiece of the exhibition.

The grey monotone colouring, save for a single green patch of parkland and blue water, made it difficult to pick out many of the city's flagship buildings among the sea of Monopoly style houses - a lack of road marking didn't help.

And with such a hefty price tag, some visitors will be left thinking they do a cheaper job with a bucket of Lego or by cannibalising plastic model kits - a trick used by cash strapped sci-fi movie makers.

The Daily Echo has already shown what can be achieved in a couple of hours.

Admittedly the 3-D model makers had a tough job to make much of Southampton's cityscape, a collection of largely uninspiring low-rise buildings.

But if the criteria for getting funding was something to "improve the city's image" they faced an uphill task from the outset.

The decision to tuck the model away under the stairs of the art gallery is hardly a ringing endorsement of its place as supposed "destination attraction".

Indeed Tory council leader Alec Samuels refused to vote on spending taxpayers' cash on the model.

It's doubtful if the public will be flocking to see it.

What do you think of the City Vision exhibition?