THE landmark buzzards sculpture in Malvern's Rosebank Gardens is set to be joined by a lark made by the same artist.

This week, Malvern Hills District Council's southern area planning committee voted unanimously to grant planning permission for the sculpture, to be called Lark Ascending.

The artwork, which will be made by Ross-based sculptor Walenty Pytel, will be situated further into the park than the buzzards, mounted on a pole fixed into a steep grass bank within the garden.

The statue is the brainchild of Peter Smith, founder and artistic director of the Autumn in Malvern festival.

Although the application was made through Malvern Town Council, which Mr Smith is a member of, he told district councillors that the sculpture is being entirely funded by the festival.

He said: "No public funding is involved, and this is a gift to the people of Malvern from the festival, contributing to the enhancement of the town centre and Rosebank Gardens.

"Walenty Pytel is known internationally as a metal sculptor of animals and birds, and skylarks and buzzards are birds which frequent the Malvern Hills."

There was one objection to the planning application from residents of a flat at Warwick House, across the Wells Road from the garden. They feared that the statue would be "overbearing and intrusive".

But Mr Smith says the sculpture would not be visible from Warwick House, as it will be screened by a row of evergreen trees.

The application was welcomed by councillors at the planning meeting on Wednesday. Coun Hannah Campbell said that the garden has already benefitted from the buzzard sculpture and the Elgar artworks in the nearby bus stop.

Coun Mick Davies said: "The population of skylarks on the hill continues to decline, so I hope the presence of this statue will inspire people to support the work of the Malvern Hills Trust in preserving the environment of the hills."

Mr Smith said that the sculpture was inspired by composer Vaughan Williams's famous piece The Lark Ascending, which was first performed by violinist Mari Hall, a pupil of Elgar's, who lived for a while at Guarlford, near Malvern.