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Stunning riverside park opens after EM3 provides £500,000 investment for Andover regeneration

Last updated 28 September 2023
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Town Mills

A new riverside park has been funded with £500,000 from Enterprise M3 as part of the LEP’s significant investment in creating greener, healthier towns.

The Town Mills Riverside Park in Andover, is a partnership between Test Valley Borough Council, Hampshire County Council and Andover Vision, supported by EM3 LEP (Local Enterprise Partnership) with investment from the government’s Local Growth Fund.

The riverside location has historically been used by residents as a spot to admire the river and local wildlife, but restricted space made it difficult for them to pass through.

The area has now been transformed into a multifunctional park showcasing the town’s watercourse following feedback captured by the Andover Vision initiative.

Making towns greener, improving air quality and facilitating enhanced active travel links are key priorities for the LEP. This investment is another step forward in bringing to life the strategic priorities set out in our Revive and Renew Economic Action Plan which encourages people to stay local and presents a revisioning of town centres to make them happier places to live and work in.

Kevin Travers , EM3 Head of Infrastructure, Transport & Place

The route is highly-accessible to walkers and cyclists. Clearer views have been created, wooden benches are positioned in circular sections looking out across the river, and there is a more formal and traditional park edging.

Test Valley Borough Council is also proposing to install two new pieces of artwork inside the park.

The delivery of the Riverside Park is a significant first step in our future plans for Andover and I am thrilled to see it open, though some of the landscaping will continue over the coming weeks and the public art project will provide a finishing touch in the summer. This is a wonderful example of what we will bring to the town as we continue to push forward with our wider rejuvenation plans.

Everyone involved has worked incredibly hard to bring this concept to life and make this a truly special asset for Andover. Residents, workers and visitors will all be able to make the most of the Riverside Park and enjoy it for years to come.

Cllr Phil North , Leader, Test Valley Council

The Town Mills development marks the first step towards the delivery of the wider town centre transformation, following the publication of the Andover masterplan last year.

It proposes introducing new retailers and eateries into the High Street, creating new residential offerings and building a new theatre. The document also proposes the creation of a stunning riverside walk to showcase Andover’s watercourse and construction of a new wellbeing quarter near to the leisure centre and Andover College.

Test Valley Borough Council worked closely with nationally renowned urban design experts, Hemingway Design and NEW master-planning, and used feedback from several public consultations to develop the masterplan. 

I would like to thank residents and businesses in Andover for being patient while these works were completed. The Andover town centre improvements support Test Valley Borough Council’s regeneration plans for the area and helps meet their ambition to make all the town’s car parks accessible from the ring road, so the town centre becomes a more attractive area for pedestrians and cyclists. We designed this scheme to reduce congestion and improve air quality in the town centre by providing a new access to the Town Mills car park

Cllr Rob Humby , Deputy Leader, Hampshire County Council

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