A plan to put an electricity substation in a prominent position near the Writtle Green conservation area has caused uproar.

The site, on the triangle junction with Ongar Road, has been chosen by 24seven -- formerly Eastern Electricity -- as the most convenient and economic.

But the parish council and its chairman, Tony Sach, who is also a village borough councillor, are appalled.

Until now, the substation has operated from land at Preston's garage, but the firm needs the space for its expanding Skoda franchise.

Parish councillors believe that the old GPO telecom site behind the Inn on the Green would be far more suitable for the 10 feet square block with a four-way pitched roof.

And they have another suggested site -- adjacent to Rumsey Row. Both alternatives would be less intrusive in the village scene, they argue.

However, 24seven says that it has agreement with borough officers, and the construction could go ahead under permitted development rights.

Parish council development chairman Tom White said: "Just because it is easy to connect and cheaper for the electricity people does not make it right for Writtle."

A 24seven spokeswoman said: "We have been asked to make the brickwork in keeping with the adjacent wall. This is an ideal site because the low-voltage cabling runs under this point and we just have to connect the 11,000-volt supply to it easily."

Former county council chairman Baroness Beryl Platt, a leading defender of the village, said: "It is a most unfortunate scheme for a public piece of land, specially so close to a very important conservation area.

"The telecom land would be far more acceptable and I am sure some compromise could be agreed."

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