103 - Malvern Hills : Summary and Headline Statements of Environmental Opportunity

Summary

Malvern Hills National Character Area (NCA) comprises a narrow ridge of rounded hills, with hill forts rising above the Severn and Avon Vales to the east. To the west these subside to the Herefordshire Lowlands, and to the north-west they subside to the Herefordshire Plateau. The area is one of great contrasts. These range from the majestic height of the hills themselves to the undulating swells and low wooded escarpments of Eastnor and the Suckley Hills, and to the jumble of rolling hills and woodlands marching away to the west. Most of the area lies within the Malvern Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

From the early 1800s the Malvern Ridge was very popular for its pure spring waters. This led to an influx of holidaymakers and visitors, who had a great influence on settlements such as the spa town of Great Malvern where a Victorian and Edwardian character dominates. The smaller settlements of Colwall Stone and Colwall Green sit on the western side of the hills, with more modern dwellings spread between older cottages and terraced housing. The area has inspired many poets, artists and authors such as Elizabeth Barrett Browning, W H Auden and John Masefield. The hills have been the subject of the work of many painters – not least Benjamin Leader and Paul Nash – and one of the best known associations of the area is with the music of Edward Elgar. The geology of the area includes some of the oldest rocks in England, and as such the area is associated with some of the very earliest work on geology. Other key ecosystem services in this area include food and drink production (orchards), pollination, the archaeological landscape, sense of place and sense of history. Future challenges and opportunities include pressure from development, managing visitors, the expansion of woodlands where appropriate and the effects of climate change.

Headline Statements of Environmental Opportunity (SEO)

See the Statements of Environmental Opportunity section for more details on the headlines listed below.

SEO 1

Conserve and appropriately manage the highly distinctive range of the Malvern Hills, and the areas of semi-natural habitat in the wider character area such as woodland and traditional orchard, providing economic opportunities, fostering community participation.

SEO 2

Manage and improve access to the landscape, as well as the cultural and geological features of the Malvern Hills National Character Area and promote enhanced understanding and enjoyment to reinforce a strong sense of place.

SEO 3

Protect and appropriately manage the historic environment and its setting, ensuring that historic features and landscapes are recognisable and valued.

SEO 4

Plan for an expansion of semi-natural habitat where appropriate, so that a significant ecological network is created and interconnected to adjoining areas. This will increase biodiversity, pollination, food and drink production, as well as regulate soil erosion, water and soil quality, reinforcing a strong sense of place.