MALVERN Civic Society hopes to influence decision makers with the town’s first-ever heritage plan.

Greater Malvern: A Victorian Spa Initiative has been produced as a policy document aimed at protecting and emphasising the town’s historic features.

Society members drew together various strands of research to develop the plan, which is now being made available to the public and local councillors Chairman of the society Roger Sutton said: “Councils and central government construct their policies around plans. The exception to this seems to be a heritage plan. There’s very little done in terms of constructing a policy and trying to have a plan for the whole area.”

He described Malvern as the “best preserved and most interesting spa town in the country” adding: “If you have a town like Malvern which is unique and you look after it, it has enormous tourist potential.”

The society has now started work on trying to implement some of the recommendations in the document. This will include producing a leaflet for local shopkeepers, advising them on how best to maintain the town’s Victorian heritage with the upkeep of their shop fronts.

Mr Sutton added: “What we now have is a list of action points that have come out of this document.”

As part of the follow-up to the creation of the plan, civic society members will also be meeting with planning officers from Malvern Hills District Council.

To obtain a copy at a cost of £4 call civic society member Brian Iles on 01684 575336.