Malvern Hills Joint Advisory Committee

AGENDA ITEM 8 MALVERN HILLS AONB JOINT ADVISORY COMMITTEE 23 APRIL 2021 INFORMATION ITEMS Management Plan ref. Project (abridged) LP3 Promote positive Land management advice change to landowners, The Unit commissioned call-off advice from a land managers, developers management advisor towards the end of 2019/20 and again etc. in 2020/21. This has helped us to step-up our conservation advisory work with owners and farmers with 6 advisory visits taking place in 2020/21. 2 owners also benefitted from meadow restoration plans produced by the Herefordshire Meadows Group. 1 owner received support with preparing and submitting a Woodland Management Plan. BP2 Conserve, enhance Biodiversity grants and expand key 8 biodiversity grants were provided to support work as habitats and diverse as orchard creation at Barton Court, planting a new populations of key woodland in Malvern Wells, hedge laying in Suckley and species in line with fencing a ‘wet’ field in Colwall. local biodiversity priorities The volunteers of Colwall Orchard Group received a grant to restore traditional orchards in the parish, and so planted 73 trees in 10 orchards. BP4 Improve Nature Recovery Planning knowledge and The data assessment and mapping phase of a Nature understanding of the Recovery Plan is almost complete. Baseline and opportunity AONB’s biodiversity maps have been created for ecological opportunities and for a range of Ecosystem Services in the area. We have attempted to integrate landscape and the historic environment into this work too. Partners from a number of bodies have made a contribution to this work. FP6 – Encourage the Countryside Stewardship Facilitation Fund take-up of options and An event on shooting and conservation in woodlands was management practices held on-line in December 2020. Since then, events have that benefit the natural been on hold due to COVID 19, and we are applying for an and cultural capital of extension to the grant period, to make up for lost time. the AONB. Malvern Hills AONB Joint Advisory Committee – 23 April 2021 AGENDA ITEM 8 Countryside Stewardship 2 landowners covering almost 300 acres of ground have been supported in preparing mid-tier Countryside Stewardship applications. FP7: Promote local and Marketing Meat from the Hills seasonal produce and With the quality of meat from livestock reared on the Hills support the being so high, and increasing worries about the source of development of local food, the AONB Unit has teamed up with graziers and a local services and markets. butcher to look into marketing the meat and making the link between food and wildlife conservation. The meat was advertised and sold over the Christmas period. BDP2 The distinctive Revised guidance documents character and natural It is now 10 years since the AONB Partnership produced beauty of the AONB will ‘Guidance on Keeping Horses in the landscape’. This be fully reflected in document has been revisited, revised and updated. We aim planning policy and to re-publish the document in the Spring. guidance and in decision-making. TP2: Provide a quality Colwall Footpaths public realm with good Exploring what’s on your doorstep is the ‘new local tourism’ access and and seemingly, the great balm for mind and body. Working accessibility to facilities with Colwall Parish Council, the AONB Unit is helping to and features that attract reprint their popular footpaths map and create a couple of tourists. phone ‘apps’ as a guide to the best walks. The maps are now printed; the apps are to come. TRP6: Ensure that new Appeal, Ledbury Viaduct developments on the The appeal made by Bloor Homes against the refusal of periphery of the AONB planning permission on land north of the viaduct in Ledbury do not give rise to has been allowed by the Secretary of State. It was concluded significant traffic that the proposed development would not give rise to any increases and significant adverse effects on the quality of peoples’ associated effects on recreational experiences, or damage to/erosion and loss of tranquillity and characteristic and valuable landscape elements and features enjoyment. along narrow lanes. RP4 Developments that Recreational impacts study are likely to lead to an A study to better understand visitor origins and recreational increase in negative impacts on the Malvern Hills SSSI is underway. It is hoped that recreational effects in the conclusions will provide part of the evidence base for the an area should South Worcestershire Development Plan review. contribute to the costs Malvern Hills AONB Joint Advisory Committee – 23 April 2021 AGENDA ITEM 8 of mitigating and managing these effects IP1 Raise awareness of On-line arts project being in the Malvern Supported by a small grant from the Sustainable Development Hills AONB and the Fund, local theatre company, Re-Action theatre, have been significance of the working throughout lockdown to produce an on-line film about designation living in the AONB. Able and less able participants have been supported to get outside and experience the area and to then record their thoughts and feelings about nature and the landscape. The short film will be available to view on the MHAONB website from mid-April. Recommendation Members of the JAC are requested to note this information report and contact the AONB Unit if they wish to be involved in any consultations or to receive further information on any of these agenda items. Contact Points County Council Contact Points County Council: 01905 763763 Worcestershire Hub: 01905 765765 Email: [email protected] Specific Contact Points for this report Paul Esrich, Manager, Malvern Hills AONB Partnership Tel: 01905 845057 Email: [email protected] Website: www.malvernhillsaonb.org.uk Malvern Hills AONB Joint Advisory Committee – 23 April 2021 .

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