The unflattering image – called Rape of the Countryside – depicts the tiny village of Great Stretton, which is one of the communities that would edge the proposed 15,000-home Pennbury eco-town.

The Co-operative Group controversially announced in 2007 that it wanted to build the development on farmland it owns between Great Glen and Stoughton and the Government shortlisted it as a possible site in April last year.

The Co-op issued artist's impressions for the first time last month showing continental-style street scenes and green public spaces.

But a rival picture has now been released and has been taken under the wing of protest group Campaign Against the Stoughton Co-op Eco-Town (Cascet).

It was produced by Ted Walker, of Oadby, and was painted in gouace, a type of paint.

The 15in by 11in piece was recently used in a PowerPoint presentation at a public meeting by Cascet to show what it thinks the eco-town will actually resemble.

Mr Walker, a retired art teacher, said: "I was happy for the picture to be used as I am against the Co-op eco-town."

In the foreground are bits of machinery and other litter blighting the landscape with Great Stretton Church in the background.

The painting is now at the home of Terry Jones, chairman of Little Stretton Village Meeting.

He said: "There are many reasons why people are against the eco-town but the main ones from our point of view are that it is too big for the area and that it will be a great loss of agricultural land."

He thinks Mr Walker's design more accurately portrays what the eco-town could look like as compared to the 'Barcelona-in-summer' Co-op pictures.

A spokesman for the Co-operative Group said: "Our recent series of images provide an insight into what it would be like to live in the eco-town and many hours of careful work went into their production. This picture, on the other hand, adds little to the debate about how we should provide new homes in Leicestershire. It offers nothing to help people understand how the town will look and feel."