MALVERN Spa Association is putting the finishing touches to its bid for National Lottery funding to restore the town's water heritage.

The association is one of the partners in the Malverns Heritage Project, along with the Malvern Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Service and Malvern Hills Conservators.

The National Lottery has agreed to set aside £863,500 to fund a number of projects on the hills, including restoration of wells and spouts and the reintroduction of natural grazing.

The money is conditional on detailed proposals being submitted by later this year and chairman John Ford said the association was close to finishing its proposals.

They include a number of restoration projects on high-profile landmarks like the Jubilee Fountain in Malvern Wells, Beauchamp Fountain in Cowleigh Road and the Clock Tower in North Malvern, where proposals include reintroducing the spout.

There are also plans to install information boards to explain some of the background to the historic features.

In the case of Jubilee Fountain, the association has welcomed an approach from Malvern Wells Parish Council to get involved in looking after the landmark.

Investigations by the council suggest that the land on which the fountain stands is actually owned by the Diocese of Worcester, the fountain being close to the former St Peter's Church.

At the council meeting in February, the council decided to ask the spa association to make it a joint project.

Mr Ford said he has written to the diocese to request transfer of the land but had yet to receive a reply.