The project to create the new riverside park near Western Avenue in Andover has taken a huge leap forward this week after securing planning permission.

The decision at the planning committee meeting on 23 September marks a major milestone in the delivery of the Andover Town Centre Masterplan, paving the way for the transformation of a hidden stretch of the River Anton and turning it into a lively, accessible and ecologically rich public space.

Residents are a step closer to getting a new riverside park as Test Valley Borough Council (TVBC) has this week submitted the planning application to open up the town’s charming watercourse.

The plans flow from the community’s aspiration to see more green space in the town centre. The new park will unlock new views of the River Anton, which is currently hidden by the large expanse of tarmac along Western Avenue.

The council released the draft designs for the park and changes to the highway layout back in March, and these have now been submitted to the authority’s planning team for consideration.

Over the next few weeks, the planning service will consult various organisations including Hampshire County Council and Environment Agency, as well as residents, before they present their recommendation to TVBC’s planning committee in the summer.

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.

Marking the start of the next phase of Andover’s town centre regeneration, works are due to commence to sections of the River Anton this year with ecological enhancements to protect the natural chalk stream, its wildlife and plants.

Test Valley Borough Council has allocated £6.5M to completely redevelop the area around Western Avenue and extend the riverside corridor as part of the authority’s ambitious Andover masterplan.