OUR ‘Just to Phil You in’ column returns this week. In this edition, Test Valley Borough Council leader Phil North gives an update on Town Mills and plenty of consultations.

Thanks to Andover Advertiser readers and others that responded to the consultation last year, Test Valley Borough and Hampshire County Councils are continuing to work up plans to create a new riverside park on the banks of the River Anton at Town Mills.

Last summer, I outlined my plan to stop up the road adjacent to Wilko and create a separate access to Town Mill car park, via Western Avenue, which would allow us to green the whole area.

Members of the public backed that plan through the consultation and that is now being taken forward. As the highway authority the county council is assessing the feasibility of the new access and Test Valley has worked up design options for the park where we will be seeking feedback from members of the public throughout the summer – starting today in High Street.

The designs will be available to view on the Andover Vision stand at the Four Fun Fridays event from 11am to 3pm. We will also be seeking feedback from Andover Vision stakeholders.

The Four Fun Fridays are also a perfect opportunity for you to have your say on Test Valley’s priorities for the next four years, which I mentioned in my column last month, as we refresh our Corporate Plan. If you can’t get to High Street, have your say online at surveymonkey.co.uk/r/TVBCCorporatePlan.

If you’re not all consultation-ed out after that, we’ve also launched a dialogue with residents on the issues and options for development in the borough up to 2036. The Local Plan sets out the vision for how land across the borough will be used in planning terms. It stipulates the scale and location of growth, the infrastructure required and how certain areas of the borough will be protected from development. It is not about identifying specific sites for development at this stage but we want to ensure that we are able to maximise the benefit of any growth while minimising the impact on communities. Feedback from readers is absolutely crucial. Respond to the consultation online at testvalley.gov.uk/nextlocalplan.