Plans to transform the Town Mills area of Andover into an attractive riverside park have received a £500k boost from Enterprise M3.
The Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) has awarded more than half a million pounds towards the £1.2m Town Mills Riverside project, which will see the creation of a brand new park by the River Anton in Andover town centre.
As part of the consultation for the renewal of the Andover Vision initiative in 2016/17, many of the 4,000 respondents were keen to see more made of the River Anton in the heart of the town centre.
Residents said that they wanted it to become somewhere people could stay, play, picnic and enjoy the river.
Last year, Test Valley Borough Council and Hampshire County Council launched a joint project to bring forward proposals for Town Mills Riverside.
I would like to say a massive thank you to the EM3 LEP for recognising the importance and potential of this project and for pledging their investment in what I hope will be the first stage of the fundamental regeneration of the town centre. The creation of the new riverside park will be a vital step in achieving our wider ambitions for the area. This is a fantastic opportunity for the town and we are keen to progress as quickly as possible.
The river is such a stunning feature of the town and it is important that we give it the focus it deserves. This is a really exciting project and I look forward to it seeing it take shape over the coming months.
Enterprise M3 is delighted to support this major urban realm regeneration project. Supporting our towns as vibrant , prosperous places for people to live, work and grow busineses is high priority for Enterprise M3 and is featuring prominently in our emerging Local Industrial Strategy.
By removing traffic and opening the river at its most attractive position in the historic Town Mills area, it will transform the heart of Andover Town Centre for businesses, residents and visitors.
Over the past 12 months, the borough and county councils have been conducting an initial feasibility study to establish what was possible and how they could best enhance the area. The initial study has proved successful and the councils are now drawing up the detailed designs for the project.
Works are anticipated to begin in early 2020.
From 1 April 2024, the responsibility for LEP functions across the Enterprise M3 LEP region has transferred to Hampshire County Council and Surrey County Council.
The Enterprise M3 Board met for the last time in March 2024 and Enterprise M3 LEP is no longer operating as an organisation.
For any enquiries relating to economic development across the counties of Hampshire and Surrey, please visit the Hampshire County Council website and Business Surrey respectively.
Please note that Enterprise M3 LEP staff have transferred to Hampshire County Council to continue to deliver services and activities in Hampshire, including the Growth Hub, the Careers Hub, work on key business sectors, and trade and investment.
They can be contacted by emailing growth.hub@hants.gov.uk and careers.hub@hants.gov.uk respectively. Alternatively, please contact the economic.development@hants.gov.uk.
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