New riverside park draft designs

The draft designs for Andover’s spectacular new riverside park at Western Avenue have been published.

Since adopting the masterplan, Test Valley Borough Council has been working with a team of renowned landscape, highways, and ecological specialists, to deliver on the community’s aspirations for more green space in the town centre. The new park will open up new views of the River Anton, which is currently hidden by the large expanse of tarmac along Western Avenue.

By changing the road layout and creating a space for inviting landscapes and accessible pathways along the river, the changes will help to foster a seamless connection between the western side of the town, the river, Town Mills park and the new The Lights theatre.

And by weaving past with present, the riverside park’s beautifully crafted designs grant a glimpse into the area’s rich history, which was once used for growing watercress.

There will be spaces for events and food and coffee stalls, fostering community interaction and celebration. A path will meander through the site dotted with seating, welcoming people to rest and reflect. There will also be innovative play elements to enjoy and inspire, providing opportunities for recreation and discovery. All while showcasing the town’s picturesque watercourse, which will be extended and enriched with new planting, creating thriving habitats and enhancing the new park’s natural beauty.

The proposals are now available to view at www.thinkandovertowncentre.co.uk and you can share your thoughts on the draft designs by emailing thinkandover@testvalleygov.uk

The project team will also be on hand in the former O2 unit in the Chantry Centre to talk about the plans and answer questions on:

• Thursday 27 March – 2pm to 7pm
• Saturday 29 March – 10am to 1pm.

The news comes hot on the heels of the release of the designs for the new The Lights theatre, which is set to relocate to the old Poundstretcher unit in the heart of the town centre.

Leader of the council, Cllr Phil North said: “This is an incredibly exciting time for everyone involved in these projects as we share draft plans and designs with residents, following a huge amount of hard work behind the scenes.”

“The people of Andover told us that they wanted us to make more of the river, as it is such a wonderful asset that is largely hidden from view. Town centres are changing, they are fast becoming places for leisure and living as well as just retail and the opportunity to create more green space for people to relax, play and socialise, while remaining connected to the heart of the town, gives us the chance to create something truly special that will breathe new life into Andover.”

The highways scheme is a joint project by Test Valley Borough Council and Hampshire County Council in their capacity as the highway authority and they have worked closely on the new road layout. Western Avenue is currently an oversized road that acts as a barrier to the town centre and the extensive traffic modelling shows that the new road layout can accommodate the traffic travelling through the area.

The designs have been shared ahead of the council submitting a planning application for the new park and highway changes later this spring. Residents will be able to have their say on the finer design details for the park following the planning process.

This project is part funded from the regeneration funds of £18.3m awarded to Test Valley Borough Council by the UK Government.