THE end is nearly in sight for a council project to create a pocket park in Andover town centre.

The Town Mills development, due to be completed next month, is now partially open meaning residents enjoying their daily stroll can enjoy the view of the river from one of the benches.

As previously reported by The Advertiser, the seating initially installed facing Wilko's brick wall was turned back around in the correct position.

Leader of Test Valley Borough Council, Cllr Phil North, has shared an update on the development, alongside some photographs. He said: "There are still some finishing touches that Test Valley are due to complete over the next few weeks, the fencing also needs to remain around the grass areas during that time to enable it to bed in.

"By the time the town centre fully reopens on April 12, you'll be able to enjoy it in all its glory."

Local photographer Jez Rolfe, aged 16, has used his drone to capture pictures of the park from above, now that works have nearly completed.

Residents of Andover have welcomed the new park, describing it as "lovely".

One woman wrote: "Coming from Croydon originally, I feel so lucky to live in such a lovely town where there is such an effort made for green space, wildlife and lots of floral displays. Great job."

Another added: "It looks beautiful. A fab refurbishment for a town I will always call home."

One person raised concerns that the area might be 'misused' by people with alcohol issues, but Cllr Phil North took to Facebook to dismiss claims, writing: "We've done our best to design our some of the issues there, putting in a new path and getting rid of some of the vegetation [at Town Mills] which used to screen what they were doing etc."

He revealed street drinking will be banned from the spot too so there will be no opportunity for people to linger on the benches for an afternoon tipple. The leader added: "We've also got a Public Space Protection Order in place banning street drinking that new town centre rangers can enforce."

The works at Town Mills are a part of a larger project to develop Andover town centre, which were revealed by The Advertiser in September 2020. Full plans are available at testvalley.gov.uk.