Controversial plans to boost the size of a massive electrical station on the cusp of protected land have been branded “environmental vandalism”.

Herne Bay and Sandwich MP Sir Roger Gale also accused National Grid of acting “like God almighty” believing it can “do whatever the hell they like”.

The Conservative’s reaction comes after the firm unveiled plans to increase the overall maximum height of the converter station on Minster Marshes, near Ramsgate, by two meters.

“As far as I’m concerned this proposal is completely, environmentally and practically unsustainable and unacceptable,” he said.

“Why are they building on a floodplain? They don’t need to – they don’t need to do any of this this way.

“Because they’re God almighty they think they can do whatever the hell they like and they can’t.

“This outfit is incompetent and they are trying to ride roughshod over my constituents.”

National Grid recently revealed the plans as part of its Sea Link project designed to bolster capacity on its network.

It hopes to roll out a two-gigawatt high voltage direct current with 138km of cabling between Suffolk and Kent, predominantly offshore.

For the project to take off, National says it must build new onshore infrastructure including converter stations, and substations alongside underground and overhead electricity lines.

But Sir Roger believes the proposed 60,000 m sq converter station on Minster Marshes – a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) - would prove “devastating for wildlife”.

“It has 50 or 60 species of bird living and nesting there, scores of mammals including rare ones.

“We’ve already created a problem for migrating birds, particularly for birds that fly out to Pegwell Bay to feed at low tide.

“It’s an act of environmental vandalism,” he says.

Sea Link is currently in its planning stage with National expecting in early 2025 to submit a Development Consent Order bid.

It works similarly to local authority planning permission but is granted by the national government.

After a hearing at the Planning Inspectorate, the Inspector’s final recommendation goes to the Minister for Energy Security and Net Zero, Ed Miliband MP, for the final say.

“I fear that Ed Miliband very possibly will wave this through but he’ll find himself facing a judicial review,” Sir Roger told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

National’s consultation on the plans at the end of last year attracted the ire of thousands, and a petition to “Save Minster Marshes” has garnered over 10,000 signatures.

However, in an update to the plan this July, National said it needs to “increase the overall maximum height of the converter station,” with a fresh public consultation lasting until August 11.

George Cooper, founder of the Save Minster Marshes campaign, told the LDRS: “They’re going to build up the math’s – but it’s a floodplain, everyone knows it’s a floodplain.

“This year it was all flooded – so now they want to build it all up two metres.”

A spokesman for the National Grid explained that to build on the marshland: “after completing site surveys, we are proposing to increase the ground level at the converter site around the converter station height by constructing a stone platform of up to two metres.”

The converter station building was set to be 26 metres tall, but including the stone platform, the whole installation will stand at a maximum height of 28m.

Mr Cooper continued: “That’s probably the best wildlife area in all of Thanet,” stressing the presence of “nationally and internationally important bird species” at the wetland.

“This is all about making money for shareholders at the expense of our countryside.”

“They've got to green up the energy haven’t they, they can’t keep on the way they’re doing – but do you do that at the expense of the environment and the wildlife that you’re trying to save?”

The 63 year old gamekeeper suggested: “The better site for it would be at the former power station in Dungeness, it sits right on the beach.”

National Grid’s project leader Adrian Pierssene has said the Sea Link is “essential in the UK’s journey to net zero by 2050.”

On Wednesday July 17 at 7pm there is a public meeting by Save Minster Marshes in the village hall.

Member of Parliament for Herne Bay and Sandwich Sir Roger Gale told the LDRS the only reason he is not attending is to attempt to raise the issue of the marshes in the House of Commons during a debate that evening.

Sir Roger told the LDRS he’s going to write to the chief executive of the National Grid “in the strongest possible terms to object.”

“It’s right on the edge of a SSSI, the Pegwell Bay landing is also a nature reserve, and they’re planning on tunnelling under that which will do immense damage.”