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The Malvern Hills Conservators, the charity which owns and protects the Hills and Commons of Malvern, is meeting this week to discuss proposals for a cable car on the Malvern Hills.
The Shire Ditch, one of four Scheduled Ancient Monuments on the Malvern Hills, lies immediately under the site currently proposed for the terminal, gift shop, café and visitor centre close to the summit of the Worcestershire Beacon:
PRESS RELEASE: Conservators to meet to discuss cable car proposal
The Malvern Hills Conservators, the charity which owns and protects the Hills and Commons of Malvern, is meeting this week to discuss proposals for a cable car on the Hills.
The cable car has been put forward by a group calling itself Malvern for All. The group are currently proposing that the car would operate from land to the south of Rose Bank Gardens – to a point just below the summit of the Worcestershire Beacon. Their current plans include a building close to the top of the Beacon which would house a gift shop, visitor centre, café and toilets. The system would require a base terminal building with coach parking and at least three pylons on the Hills, along with overhead cables. All this building would be on land owned by the Malvern Hills Conservators and so cannot proceed without the consent of the Conservators.
Helen Stace, Chairman of the Board of Conservators, said ‘The Conservators were established by Parliament to preserve the natural beauty of the Hills and keep them free of buildings and encroachment. This development would clearly have a significant impact on this iconic landscape, which would appear to be entirely at odds to the core purpose of our Acts. However, the idea has attracted a lot of interest, in the press, within the local community and from regular visitors to the Hills, so we felt the time was right for the Board to debate and vote on this proposal.’
As well as being protected under the Malvern Hills Acts, the Hills have been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest due to their national importance for wildlife and geology. They form a major part of the Malvern Hills ‘Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’ – a designation intended to give protection to landscapes ‘whose distinctive character and natural beauty are so outstanding that it is in the nation’s interest to protect them’.
A special meeting of the Board will take place at 7.00pm on Thursday 12th February at the Council Chamber, Avenue Road, Malvern. The public are welcome to attend. Public questions for the meeting must be received in writing by the Conservators by noon on Tuesday 10th February.
Special Board meeting February 2015 Agenda
Special Board meeting February 2015 Paper
Special Board meeting February 2015 Appendix 5 (Open Spaces Society Letter)
Work by Malvern Hills Conservators to preserve Midsummer Hill on the Malvern Hills has been criticised by a local resident.More at : malverngazette.co.uk/news/9552522.Tree_felling_not_what_it_appears/
Sally Gibson, who lives at Coombe Green, close to the hill, says she and her two daughters were “horrified” to see trees being cut down and taken away.
But the Conservators say the work is necessary to preserve Midsummer Hill’s Iron Age fort and enhance the wildlife.
Brash fires and tree felling on the northern ramparts of the eastern section of Midsummer Hill Hillfort (February 2012).
A notice posted on the site explains that the Malvern Hills Conservators are selectively clearing trees to prevent further degradation of the hillfort by protecting it from tree-root damage.
It is not usually considered good practice to burn brash on sites where the underlying archaeology could be damaged.
Please see my Flickr page for more images: http://www.flickr.com/photos/credashill
A notice posted on the eastern section of the hillfort explaining conservation work on Midsummer Hill Hillfort, Herefordshire (February 2012).
The notice explains that the Malvern Hills Conservators are selectively clearing trees to prevent further degradation of the hillfort by protecting it from tree-root damage.
Please see my Flickr page for more images: http://www.flickr.com/photos/credashill
Soil disturbance and brash fires on the summit of the eastern section of Midsummer Hill Hillfort (February 2012).
A notice posted on the site explains that the Malvern Hills Conservators are selectively clearing trees to prevent further degradation of the hillfort by protecting it from tree-root damage.
Please see my Flickr page for more images: http://www.flickr.com/photos/credashill