THE threat to the naturally beautiful hills above Malvern from cable car disfigurement and other associated and extensive and equally inappropriate development is one that I hope is never realised.

I can understand the commercial attractiveness of the theme-park motivation to provide exciting fun rides and attempting to present it as some form of altruistic benefit for Malvern.

I hope that most people will feel that having a theme park fun ride exchanged for destroyed irreplaceable assets will be too excessive a price to be paid, and that such an iconic loss should be opposed.

I feel sure that all the caring people of Malvern would want to avoid the shame of being faced by future inquisitive tourists with the question: “How can it be that Malvern people allowed this disaster to rob them of the beautiful hills for which the spa town had become world famous?”

For this is how I believe the proposed assault is likely to come to be viewed by the millions from many parts of the world who will condemn Malvern for allowing that which they once had to be reduced to the indignity of a fairground fun ride with all of its disfiguring ancillary development.

Cable cars may enable some disabled to reach the top but they will destroy the purpose of wanting to reach it, while contributing 30 pieces of silver for the ride to those who have destroyed our unique unspoiled icon.

My qualification for hoping the project fails is based upon nothing more valid than having loved our unique iconic hills for almost 79 years, while nursing the wish that those who follow will have the same opportunities to reap the unspoiled rewards of the climb.

Edgar SJ Powell

Vice president

Open Spaces Society