Two of the three councillors consulted about the controversial 'faces' installation on Epsom station have now condemned it as "hideous" and not what they approved or wanted.

Seventy per cent of those who took part in an online poll on epsomguardian.co.uk last month said they hated the design, with some questioning why there was no public consultation and others demanding the 'permanent' artwork it is taken down.

As part of the planning agreement, developers Solum Regeneration had agreed to incorporate into the building public art selected following a competition among students at the University for the Creative Arts (UCA).

But speaking to the Epsom Guardian this week, the three councillors who were consulted on the design - Anna Jones, Julie Morris and Neil Dallen - explained that no councillor sat on the judging panel that selected London-based graphic designer Nick Jameson's concept - to illustrate the faces of local people, alongside quotes expressing what "makes Epsom great to them".

Coun Jones had been chosen to sit on the panel but was unable to take part in the process and was only consulted at a later stage - by which point the design had already been selected.

She had not still not seen the station facade this week, but said: "I don’t really like the design.

"When we saw the final artwork that was going to go up we were really surprised and asked for the colours to be toned down.

"It was not what we wanted. I didn’t select that design."

Coun Morris, who was also consulted after town councillor Alison Kelly was unable to take part described the final product as "hideous" and insisted it was different from the design she had been shown.

She said: "The design we saw was much more artistic - one pane had an eye, then there was a plain pane, and then another feature in another pane.

"It was more abstract. What they have done is put all the panes together to make a face.

"It looks amateur, cartoonish and is a poor reflection of what this very good student came up with."

But town councillor Neil Dallen, said he was "more than happy with the decision and the results".

He said: "It may not be the people’s choice but it doesn’t look that bad to me. I don’t think it’s ‘in your face’. It doesn’t glare at you.

"We were shown a mock-up and it looks very similar to what we were shown."

A council spokesman said there was no legal requirement for public consultation on the faces - which he confirmed are to be permanent.

He said a report considered by the planning committee on the station re-development in 2010 stated that the artwork had to be "relevant and unique to Epsom".

He added: "All three members, who were part of the review panel, saw and approved the final design."

Mr Jameson won a year's tuition fees at the university for his work and five runners-up received 20 per cent off theirs.

With the quotes still not included on his artwork, residents continue to vent their anger.

One said: "Artwork like this will date and go out of fashion. I certainly wouldn't want to purchase one of the flats opposite if it meant looking at this every day."

Another added: "If I decided to paint an artistic impression of Shergar on the front of my semi, the council would drag me through the courts to get it removed."

What do you think about the faces? Email Hardeep Matharu on hmatharu@london.newsquest.co.uk or leave a comment below.