At the moment, the area to the north of the town centre has a slightly peculiar offering.

A derelict magistrates court sits next to the hub of the arts in the town, while the aging buildings of Andover College nestle alongside the brand new leisure centre.

As part of Test Valley Borough Council's plans to regenerate the town centre, this area will become the new Wellbeing Quarter, with a greater clarity of purpose than at present.

A new hotel is proposed to take the place of the former Magistrates court, providing high-class accomodation for visitors to the town. Meanwhile, the old home of The Lights will be demolished as the theatre moves into the heart of town. 

This will make way for a new campus for Andover College, providing new facilities for local students. There will also be an emphasis on green space, providing an undivided link from the new River Quarter over to St Mary’s Church and beyond, Vigo Park, where the roundabout and subway will be removed.

New housing is proposed to bring residents closer into the town, while a large new office building is proposed for SimplyHealth, to bring all their offices in Andover onto one site.

Heading further east, there will also be new shops and homes around Union Street, while George Yard car park will be improved with decking, and the potential for a multi-storey car park should the need arise.

Lora White from NEW masterplanning, which helped produce the plans, said: “Andover has so much promise and we really wanted to do the town and its residents justice. It has all of the key elements: a fascinating history and striking Georgian architecture; a growing independent business community and a beautiful river, which helps to set it apart from many other town centres. We have sought to really amplify those elements and open up the High Street to make it feel more connected to the wider town centre.” 

For more details of the plans, click here.