Plans to hang giant red banners at the entrance of a museum have been compared to "putting a mini skirt on the Venus de Milo" by a Birmingham councillor.

Peter Douglas Osborn (Con, Weoley) made the comment at a meeting of Birmingham City Council's planning committee yesterday.

His reaction came as members raised objections to an application for a number of banners, totems, graphics panels, poster boxes and display plaques, to be put up in various points on Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery and the Council House.

One of the displays would have included six 6m by 1.3m single sided banners displayed behind the pillars above the main entrance to the Birmingham's Museum and Art Gallery, which is a Grade II listed building.

As part of the permanent application, the gallery said banners featuring a theme reflecting events at the attraction would be attached with steel cables, and eyelets fixed into the stonework.

But although the application received support from English Heritage, a number of committee members and conservation groups voiced their concerns.

Mr Douglas Osborn called for the application to be scrapped completely. He said: "We have a responsibility towards what is regarded to be one of the most beautiful buildings in Birmingham.

"This application is not even temporary. I question the judgement of Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery for putting this before us. It is almost like putting a mini skirt on the Venus de Milo."

Coun Paula Smith (Lib Dem, Hall Green) agreed with Mr Douglas Osborn and said the idea would deface the building.

"To think that that is going to be permanent is shocking," she said. "I am speechless. It is not something that would suit very many places but to put it on such a lovely building, well it is an extremely sad day for Birmingham.

"As chair of the conservation trust, I cannot put my name to something that will deface Birmingham's heritage.

"We are defacing it. We might as well get the graffiti cans out."

Coun Ernie Hendricks (Lib Dem, Moseley and Kings Heath) added: "Surely there has got to be more creative ways of marketing the events in the building, in the museum, rather than something that looks very garish."

But in spite of the objections raised, the scheme has been backed by English Heritage.

The planning application submitted to the Council stated that "English Heritage support this application" but said there had been "opposition to the scheme from the Conservation and Heritage Panel, The Victorian Society and The Civic Society".

At the meeting, committee chairman David Roy deferred the application as a six members voted against it and four for it.

"We have some reservations on this one," he said. "First the possibility of damage to the chalk building structure itself.

"We want assurance that no damage will be done to the building and the other point is how should it be done at all."

A spokeswoman for Birmingham City Council added: "The application has been deferred. Members minded to refuse with six members against and four for the scheme.

"It is going to be heard again, possibly next week."