Test Valley Borough Council Spring 2018 | Issue 74 Test Valley News In this issue... Leisure Centre takes shape 2 A big welcome to Buddy 6 A wildlife wonder 3 TVBC welcomes Jobcentre Plus 8 GOLD AWARD FOR VISITOR CENTRE TOWN MILLS RIVERSIDE PROJECT An exciting project to create a new riverside park on the banks of the River Anton at Town Mills, Andover is taking shape. Test Valley Borough Council and Hampshire County Council are working together to investigate improvements and identify how traffic could bypass this part of Andover in order to open up the River Anton at its most prominent Romsey has turned heads recently as news of its impressive position at Town Mills. range of award-winning projects hit the headlines. Colleagues at the Visitor Information attractions and places of interest. The Enhancing the riverside walk, celebrating the heritage of Town Mills and its river Centre (VIC) in King John’s House, VIC has now been entered in the Visit connection and creating an attractive park where people can stay and play, picnic Romsey, have won a gold award for England national awards. and enjoy the river will also be considered in the plans. their excellent service to tourists and Romsey has also been recognised Local residents and businesses were consulted on suggested improvements to residents in Test Valley. The centre, Town Mills last summer and the positive feedback has encouraged the Councils to which is funded by Test Valley Borough as the first town in Hampshire to be look at a wider improvement package than originally considered. Council, was awarded the highest coach-friendly. The Confederation of www.hants.gov.uk/transport/transportschemes/andovertownmill accolade in the 2017/18 Beautiful Passenger Transport UK has awarded South Awards in the Visitor Information the certificate to the town following Service of the Year category after its the installation of coach-friendly traffic Leader of Test Valley Borough Council, Councillor Phil North said: facilities, website and overall quality of signs, dedicated drop-off points and “The River Anton is a fantastic natural asset at the very heart of Andover information given to customers were large parking bays at the Rapids. The Town Centre running through the historic area of Town Mills. judged. The centre was refurbished last submission was supported by Romsey “Making the River Anton a focal point in the town has been identified as year to offer its 55,000 annual visitors Future, which has an aim to encourage the number one priority through the recent development of the Andover even more information about local more visitors to the town. Vision – a twenty year place-shaping strategy developed by a partnership of local organisations and thousands of residents launched in April 2017. “Enhancing the river space at Town Mills is so much more than just about the river. The Council and Andover Vision see this opportunity as being an important springboard to delivering future long-term benefits that will improve the overall vitality and offer of the town.” Leader of Hampshire County Council, Councillor Roy Perry, said: “Hampshire County Council is happy to support the Andover Vision, set out by Councillor North. As a former Leader of Test Valley myself, I have been interested and impressed to see all the good work being done in Andover, by Councillor North and his team. “We acknowledge it is important to identify how traffic can be removed from the river frontage in the Town Mills area, and the first step in this process will be to do some technical feasibility work into options like a new access to the car park. “Once we have developed some initial ideas, it will be essential to hear the Local resident Natasha Weyers saw her stunning photograph of the starling views of local residents and businesses on the options. Hampshire County murmuration at Fishlake Meadows appear in national and local media, and online. Council has a dedicated fund to help the market towns of Hampshire, and Read more about plans for the nature reserve on page 3. Andover would be a very worthy recipient of support.” Test Valley Borough Council T 01264 368000 E [email protected] W www.testvalley.gov.uk STILL SWIMMING Community and Leisure Portfolio Holder, Councillor Tony Ward said: LEISURE CENTRE “I am delighted that residents are Hundreds of people have been enjoying the pool and think the word enjoying Andover’s temporary “temporary” belies the end product. swimming pool since it opened in If you haven’t used it yet, I would October last year. On average, 240 TAKES SHAPE encourage you to do so and take adults are using it for lane swimming full advantage of having this facility every week and 700 children are available until the new swimming signed up to weekly swim sessions. pool opens in spring 2019.” Visit www.facebook.com/TestValleyBC to watch a video about the temporary pool. CharltON LAKES Work at Charlton continues as improvements are made to the lakes. We are moving silt within the lake to create more open water, and using it to enhance the lake edges for the benefit of wildlife. Once the silt has settled, a boardwalk will be installed to make it easier for people to access the water for boating, pond-dipping and other educational activities. KNIGHTWOOD NEWS Community and Leisure Portfolio Holder, Councillor Tony Ward said: “The new pre-school offers a huge Knightwood Pre-school’s improvement to the facilities, new purpose-built facility was and peace of mind for parents in officially opened in November by need of childcare. In addition, it local MP, Caroline Nokes, Leader means increased capacity at the Contractors are currently Peter Pan Club, Andover Swimming of Hampshire County Council, Knightwood Leisure Centre where a installing the steel frame Club, construction partners and other Councillor Roy Perry, and new 25-station gym is now open to stakeholders. local ward member, Councillor that forms the shell of the offer a more varied programme for Alan Dowden. new state-of-the-art Andover local residents.” Leisure Centre, with the Test Valley Borough Council’s Community and Leisure Portfolio full exterior scheduled for Holder, Councillor Tony Ward, said: completion by summer. Managed by Places for People Leisure Ltd working in “We are now on a journey taking partnership with Test Valley Borough Council. Internally, the swimming us from the demolition of some pools are being constructed old, outdated buildings towards before the partitions, and the a fantastic multi-million pound mechanical and electrical Leisure Centre that our residents expect and deserve. There has fittings are installed. been a lot of hard work to get us to This work follows a ground-breaking this point and we can now see the ceremony for the centre, where shape of things to come!” children from Anton Junior School decorated and buried a time capsule The existing leisure centre remains before helping the Mayor of Test open to the public throughout the build, Valley, Councillor Carl Borg-Neal, to with the gym, exercise classes, squash “Swimming Lessons.” bury it in the rubble. The event was courts, crèche, café, Merlins Kingdom attended by representatives from the and treatment rooms still available. Book your lessons now! To watch a fascinating time lapse video of the building work, visit www.facebook.com/TestValleyBC RARING TO GO IN ROMSEY Romsey Rapids Sports the road – and Techno Gym Skill Mills Complex has benefited from a that build power, speed, stamina and £275,000 investment which has agility in the form of High Intensity www.placesforpeopleleisure.org Interval Training. seen the old gym completely Romsey Rapids Sports Andover Leisure Centre refurbished and replaced The Watt bikes were designed alongside British Cycling, Olympic Complex 01264 347100 with the latest state-of-the-art 01794 835550 cyclists and world-renowned sports equipment. scientists and are claimed to be the The revamped gym now enjoys cutting- most authentic ‘ride feel’ in the world. Free casual swimming for participants at Andover and Terms and Conditions apply edge kit including the Watt bike - which What’s more, the group cycle studio Romsey has been refurbished to offer a more uses leading technology to give the Whatever place you're into resistance and sensation of riding on modern exercise experience. 2 test valley news • 01264 368000 • [email protected] heartening to see this oasis for country where you can see them and viewpoints along the barge A WILDLIFE wildlife now under secure public so close to a busy town centre. canal. A key part of the plan is to ownership and providing a place for In fact, these birds tend to spend introduce cattle, whose grazing education and quiet recreation. a considerable amount of time will help to maintain the diversity of WONDER The winter spectacle of starlings honing their fishing skills at Fishlake habitats in the northern part of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight ‘murmurating’ above the skyline Meadows, unlike most other places nature reserve.” Wildlife Trust is now managing and descending into the reeds has in Hampshire where they tend to Fishlake Meadows local nature offered a powerful reminder of the pass through. reserve following the agreement importance of protecting spaces for The Hampshire and Isle of Wight of a long term partnership with nature as well as the joy that wildlife Wildlife Trust has now recruited the Council. This update about brings to people. With peak counts two dedicated reserve officers the site comes from Martin de of up to 80,000 birds, the Fishlake responsible for the nature reserve. Retuerto, Reserves Manager. Meadows starling murmurations Bob Chapman and Joanna “In less than twenty years, residents have drawn residents and visitors Armson combine an exceptional close to Fishlake Meadows will from far and wide to marvel at the level of experience and expertise, have seen agricultural fields acrobatic displays.