A FURTHER proposed devastating bout of destruction to the Malvern Hills through quarrying was the subject of a major public debate at this time half-a-century ago.

The Journal of July 1952 reported that "a battle between economics and aesthetics was joined at the inquiry in Malvern." Under consideration were three applications for quarrying many thousands of tons of granite from no fewer than three different locations on the Malvern Hills.

Berrow's explained: "The conflict is between the quarry owners who maintain that the national need for the stone and the employment created locally for more than 300 men justifies their requests to extend their operations, and representatives of local authorities and preservation bodies who contend that the amenities of the Hills are being threatened and are more important than other material considerations."

Subject of the inquiry were applications from the Pyx Granite Company for permission to win and work granite at North Malvern Road, from the Malvern Hills Granite Company to work granite at Earnslaw Quarry, The Wyche, and from Mr W.J. Jakeman to win granite at Gully Quarry, Castlemorton.

"Mr H.N Jenner, the Herefordshire County Surveyor, said his authority bought more than 30,000 tons of Malvern granite each year for road building and repair, while a representative of Gloucestershire County Council said his authority purchased 26,000 tons of Malvern granite annually. If this source should stop, buying elsewhere would entail a 50 per cent increase in cost.

"The inquiry was told that, in all, 200,000 tons of granite were taken from the Malvern Hills every year. Some 330 men were employed in the Malvern quarries, and £150,000 a year was paid to them in wages.

"But Alderman Sir Hugh Chance, on behalf of Worcestershire County Council, stressed to the hearing: 'From the start there has been strong public feeling against quarrying in the Malvern Hills both because it disfigures the hills and because the quarries with their buildings, machinery and dirt are altogether out of place in a peaceful holiday resort like Malvern'.

"Commander, the Hugh Pakington, said the smooth green slopes of the hills were being hacked for their stone and were being gashed and scarred for all time. The three quarries had already made their deep marks upon the hills."

I shall obviously catch up with the outcome of the public inquiry and Whitehall's decision on the three applications later in the Journal archives but, with the benefit4 of hindsight, we know that quarrying did, at last, end on the Malvern Hills about 40 or so years ago. What a blessing that obviously was because the hills would have been devastated out of recognition by the continuing hacking out of a staggering 200,000 tons of granite every year!