PLANS for the South Gwent Children's Centre, backed by the Sparkle Appeal, got the thumbs up from Newport councillors yesterday - after the Argus was accused of disrespectful coverage of the issue.

Despite calling the centre - over the course of two meetings - a futuristic carbuncle, too modern, like a supermarket, and like a Coca Cola can shining in a field, the city council's planning committee approved detailed plans.

The carbuncle comment prompted this newspaper to ask last month which is the carbuncle - the proposed children's centre or Newport's soon-to-be-completed arts centre.

This riled committee member and Rogerstone councillor Erryl Heath who called the comparison "upsetting" because "the arts centre is not at the bottom of somebody's garden".

She said: "It is my responsibility to look after those residents and make sure that when they open their curtains in the morning they look at trees, not an aluminium roof."

Worries over landscaping and the centre's proposed aluminium roof led the committee last month to defer a decision on planning details for the £6 million project.

The centre will be built on land behind homes on High Cross Road and Glasllwch Crescent, High Cross. Outline planning permission was granted on appeal in 2002 after a council refusal. Many Rogerstone and High Cross residents had objected to the proposal.

More than 1,200 disabled youngsters from Newport, Torfaen and south Monmouthshire will benefit from the centre. The Argus aims to raise £250,000 this year towards the cost.

Last month, councillor Heath criticised the plan for being too modern. She and councillor Les Knight also feared an aluminium roof might cause glare, especially in bright sunlight.

Planners, however, are satisfied that the panels, similar to those used at the City of Manchester Stadium, home to Manchester City FC, will weather to produce a dulled, non-reflective surface. Councillor Knight said they would make the building look like "a Coca Cola tin shining in a field".

Chairman Ron Jones said the committee had a difficult balancing act to perform over such planning issues, and he hoped "the disrespect shown in the coverage on the last occasion will be put right".