The Bill won’t stop people using the Hills
How people enjoy the Hills, use them and access them will not be affected by the new Malvern Hills Bill.
The Trust’s duty is to care for the Hills and Commons and keep them open for public recreation. The Bill does not change that.
None of the public rights that exist under the current legislation are being taken away.
The new Bill will not:
- Allow the Trust to reduce public access to the Hills.
- Allow the Trust to introduce charges to walk on the Hills.
- Allow building on or the sale of Trust land, including for commercial use or solar farming.
You can learn more about the proposed Bill, why the Trust is doing it and its benefits on the Malvern Hills Bill Facts page.
What changes you may notice
Keeping grazing animals safe on the commons
The Bill would let the Trust use fences or cattle grids to stop animals straying off the grazed commons.
This is normal practice across the country, and the proposed new power is supported by the Foundation for Common Land, a charity set up to enhance common land and commoning for the benefit of the public.
Grazing is critical to the management of the commons, helping to protect important plant communities and keeping down vegetation and scrub so that the land is open for access.
The new power would not allow fencing alongside the roads which cross the common – these roads are part of the common.
It is also important to understand that the Trust could not go ahead with any scheme to secure a common without getting the consent of the Secretary of State, whereby plans would need to be consulted on.
Temporary fencing
The Trust already has powers (in the 1995 Act) which allow it temporarily to restrict access where needed either for safety reasons or because the Trust needs to protect or restore the landscape.
The powers are time-limited and subject to consultation. The Bill simply repeats these powers.
Event organisers and business users
The Trust must keep the Hill and Commons open to the public and to look after the “natural aspect”.
Like other managers of public open space, the Trust has had a policy in place for many years to licence organised events to make sure that they do not clash, cause damage to the land or affect other visitors. Overseeing these events can take up a lot of staff time.
The Bill would put this on a formal footing, but it would not affect public access.
The right of access to the Hills is for recreation, not for private gain or running a business. The Trust may sometimes allow business activities if they don’t affect public access, such as filming or professional dog walking.
The Bill formalises this approach, but it does not change current practice.
Find out more
If you want more information you can read the frequently asked questions page or if you are still unsure you can send in a question to info@malvernhills.org.uk
