Andover Town Improvements - Newbury Street through to Chantry Street

www.testvalley.gov.uk www.hants.gov.uk

Hampshire County Council, working with Test Valley Borough Council, has been developing ideas to improve the area at the top of the town from Newbury Street, along the upper High Street and part of Chantry Street.

The scheme aims to enhance the area with improvements for pedestrians and cyclists to make it easier to access shops and services at the top of the town. The design and materials will reflect the character of this part of the town and its historic importance.

Introduction

Background to the scheme

The Andover Town Access Plan (2012, ref CW3.4b) has highlighted the need to improve the environment at the top of Andover St. Mary’s the town for shoppers, pedestrians and cyclists. The Andover College Church

Town Access Plan was developed to help plan for better Leisure connection between the town and its facilities. Centre

The local community and immediate businesses were invited during the summer of 2013 to attend a Community Street Audit (CSA) of the Upper High Street. The audit highlighted the need to address the narrow footways to allow better and Chantry safer pedestrian access to the shops and facilities along its Centre route and into the main shopping area.

Improvements to the top of the town are proposed to assist Guildhall the regeneration initiative for the town centre which recognises the importance of specialist / independent traders and the potential to enhance the vitality and viability of businesses and retail activity in this part of the town.

Funding for the scheme

Planned maintenance works, known as ‘Operation Resilience’, Location will re-surface the carriageway throughout the area. At the same time funding will be made available through the Local Sustainable Transport Fund from the Department for Transport The proposals aim to achieve the following: for other improvements. - Improved access for all: - Safer, more convenient access through provision of The proposals wider footways - Slowing of through traffic, aiming for a maximum The proposals aim to: speed of 20mph - provide access for all to shops and businesses at the top of - Reduction in through traffic ‘short cutting ‘ through the town the area - create a pleasant environment for pedestrians and - Raised pedestrian crossings, level with footway cyclists - Lower kerb heights for easier informal crossing of -reduce the dominance of vehicle traffic currently using carriageway with a 25mm height difference between the upper High Street as a cut through carriageway and footway to enable differentiation for - enhance the special character of this lovely part of the visually impaired. town. - Disabled parking (provision of 2 spaces) - a dash and go short stay parking bay (Chantry Street) - a more attractive streetscape, improving the town Have your say! centre Conservation Area and the setting of important buildings in this area including St. Mary’s Church, the War Memorial and the Angel Inn Please let us know whether you support the proposed - Formalised loading arrangements for deliveries improvements. Local knowledge is very important so please - Encouraging increased footfall and retail opportunities. also let us know anything you think will help with the design. - a cycle friendly route for access to the town centre, part of Cycle Strategy (2009) You can tell us your thoughts today and answer the questions on the display panel here.

Alternatively, you can take a copy of the questionnaire and return it in the prepaid envelope provided or you can complete the form on line at www.consultations.hants.gov.uk under ‘Active Consultations’.

We would like all comments back by the 11th November.

The old town- the historic fabric

Andover old church c. 1820- the Norman church of St Mary’s the War Memorial in the was demolished and replaced in the 1840's by Dr Goddard, a Garden of Remembrance The Victorian gothic church of former headmaster of College. A doorway from dates from 1920 and was St Mary’s was dedicated in the old church was re-erected to form an entrance to the moved here from in front 1844 and dominates the churchyard. Images from Hantsphere website of the Guildhall in 1956 Andover landscape from its high position. Photo by Helen Edwards Photography on the St. Mary’s website St. Mary’s Church Key museum Listed Buildings Ford Cottage grade 1 Norman arch grade 2 star

grade 2 war memorial Upper High Street, with Gales Angel School in the background Conservation Inn the old Area vicarage

Townscape Character area- historic core

plan showing historic buildings and features top of the upper High Street In 1434 a terrible fire destroyed looking south c 1950 much of upper Andover, possibly starting in a Butcher’s shop in White Bear Yard on the High Street, and had a devastating effect on the inhabitants and economy of the town. No timber-framed the vicarage, Newbury Street buildings survived and recovery was slow. , in 1913 photo from Hantsphere website which had acquired Andover Priory in 1414, began a programme of investment in the More information on the Listed town, acquiring fire damaged The Angel Inn is an outstanding example of Buildings can be found at English properties and building new a 15th century timber-framed courtyard inn Heritage website www.english- ones. and is designated a grade 2 star Listed heritage.org.uk and on the Building. Built by Winchester College Conservation Area from Test Andover War Memorial was built between 1445 &1455 it cost £400, a very Valley Borough Council at to commemorate the dead of the large sum at the time. www.testvalley.gov.uk 1st world war. Unusually the date reads 1914-1920, reflecting the years in which the town sustained casualties which could be attributed to the war. It bears the names of 214 men.

Proposed improvements

20 car park 3 4 Ford 2 Cottage St. Mary’s churchyard 5 1 seats 17

7 18 Chantry Centre Norman arch and steps Key 19 War Memorial grass verges seats 13 8 raised table in macadam 14 9

re-surfaced footway in macadam

seat 15 new features in granite setts the Angel Inn buff coloured tactile paving 12 16 re-surfaced area of block paving 6 seats 11 existing trees Swan Court 10 new tree planting 0 10 20 metres

direction of one-way vehicle scale traffic

pedestrian crossing

Modified kerb line discourages entry to Chantry Centre Entrance to the Black Swan Yard narrowed to discourage 1 from the east 12 excessive vehicle speeds

Design allows two way flow of cyclists maintaining cross- 2 town cycle access. Road markings warn drivers of cyclists 13 Provision of two new ‘Disabled Parking’ bays coming from west .

Chantry St. width reduced to discourage excessive vehicle 14 Realignment of junction at entrance to one way system to 3 speeds and the footway widened. slow traffic

4 New short stay parking bay 15 Construction of larger island to aid traffic calming & creates an opportunity for street tree planting Exit narrowed to slow traffic with over-run area for larger 5 vehicles Re-surfacing works to the other parts of Newbury Street 16 and Chantry Street through ‘Operation Resilience’ New raised ‘table’ through one-way system provides traffic programme. 6 calming but maintains a low kerb Opportunity to tidy up small open space next to Ford 7 High Street width reduced providing a wider footway 17 Cottage which has the potential to become a community garden

8 Designated loading bay 18 Seating provided where space allows on Newbury St. and next to Ford Cottage to improve accessibility through this Granite sett paving creates a false narrowing to reduce part of the town 9 speeds while still allowing larger vehicles to turn 19 Views of St. Mary’s church and the war memorial opened General improvements at the top of the pedestrianised area, up through careful tree surgery 10 including provision of seating and bin. ‘Disabled Parking’ bay relocated to Newbury Street 20 Improvements to car park boundary on Chantry Street

Newbury Street width reduced to discourage excessive 11 vehicle speeds. Footways widened where possible. Bollards used as a visual warning at the pinch point and pedestrian crossings

What might it look like?

Sympathetic materials and reinstatement of Wide crossings and footways lost grass verges can greatly enhance the create easy access for all Water Lane , Totton environment for pedestrians Poynton, Cheshire, Ben Hamilton-Baillie

Latimer St., Romsey is a similar width to the High St- here raised crossings and widened footways make walking easy. Timber bollards and ‘rustic’ setts can work well in an urban environment The Square, Hamble

trees & grass can break up an expanse of hard surfacing and have immediate impact Ashurst on the busy A35

The scheme will complement Carriageway narrowing can be the work that has already combined with crossing points been done in the town Petersfield Bridge Street, Andover.

suggested materials and details

Materials will be carefully selected to complement those used in the rest the town centre and to reflect their location in the Conservation Area. Wherever appropriate materials and furniture from elsewhere will be re-used. Possible decorative stone Timber will be used for furniture & signage feature at top of Raised edges where Chantry Street adjacent to Ford Cottage needed to protect grass & planted areas

Traditional cast iron bell Timber interpretation panels bollards are an effective way & noticeboards could be to prevent damage to provided buildings and walls

Traditional hard wood seats near the church and at top of Chantry Street

Sawn granite setts are ‘Slim line’ tapered smooth and provide a good cast iron bollards can surface for pedestrians & save space on cyclists narrow footways like those on the High New light fittings are being Street Victorian cast iron installed in the Conservation covers in the Area under a separate pavements will be contract managed by preserved County Council

What happens next?

www.testvalley.gov.uk www.hants.gov.uk The design will be worked up over the coming months taking into account your views and will then be submitted for formal approvals. Subject to funding availability and getting all necessary permissions, we would like to start work in 2014 / 2015.

Local residents and businesses will be contacted with the programme and detailed design once these have been finalised. Both councils will provide the public with information as the scheme progresses.

Before building work starts we will arrange an open session with the contractor’s representatives so any concerns about how the works will be managed can be discussed.