Frequently Asked Questions - Augusta Park

The Council does not know exactly when development of all the 2,500 houses will be completed as this will depend on housing market conditions. The official trajectory is currently anticipated for completion by 2028/2029 however based upon the developers current build rate and occupations it may be sooner than this.  The site originally planned for the secondary school has permission for a further 350 homes. It is anticipated that these will commence in 2022 and be completed by 2027.

As the development is completed, aspects of the land such as roads and street lighting will be handed over by the developer to either a management company or  adopted and maintained by Hampshire County Council. Test Valley Borough Council will continue to adopt and be responsible for areas such as the Public Open Spaces. You can find more information regarding road adoptions on Hampshire County Council’s website www.hants.gov.uk

Occupation figures provided by the developer in September 2019 show that there are now a total of 1875 of the 2850 permitted homes, occupied at Augusta Park.

This figure includes homes which are provided by Housing Associations

and the Ministry of Defence as well as privately owned homes.

The amount of off street parking provided meets the current maximum car parking standard for residential development. We understand that it is sometimes more convenient to park a car on the road than in the space(s) provided for each property but request residents do use their allotted car parking spaces/garages to park their car in.

Cars parked on roads and pavements make it difficult for pedestrians to walk safely and can be dangerous, especially for children. Buses and emergency vehicles such as fire engines could also find it difficult to access some roads/houses, where residents have parked inconsiderately.
Parked vehicles which are causing an obstruction at road junctions should be reported to the Police using the 101 number.

Vehicles parked on yellow lines can be reported to Test Valley Borough Council on 01264 368000

Parking should not occur in unsafe or inconsiderate places. Parking should only occur where it is safe and sensible.

 

Places where parking is not advised or permitted include:

On bends – This creates hazardous circumstances for drivers who are travelling around corners, as cars parked on corners of the roadside, force other vehicles onto the opposite and wrong side of the road. The parked vehicle potentially reduces the ability of drivers to see approaching vehicles and other road users.

On or near road junctions - This seriously reduces the visibility at junctions for other drivers and therefore increases the risk of a collision between vehicles already on and vehicles joining roads. This is the case on any sort, or any size of junction,  or on side roads leading to residents’ parking courtyards.

Pavements - Rule 218 of the Highway Code says: “Do not park partially or wholly on the pavement unless signs permit it”. Vehicles parked on pavements can create a hazard:

1.    To pedestrians by causing an obstruction that may result in them having to step off the pavement into the carriageway, thus putting themselves in danger.

2.    By restricting the width of the pavement and making it difficult for someone with a pushchair or wheelchair to pass safely - again this person may have to enter the carriageway to avoid the obstruction.

3.    A further reason is the potential damage caused to the surface of the pavement which are not designed to take the weight of vehicles.

Beside dropped kerbs or on raised crossings – This causes an obstruction to pedestrians and those using pushchairs, wheelchairs or mobility scooters as they try to navigate safely on pavements and across roads.At or opposite bus stops – This causes an obstruction to buses on their designated routes and has the potential to cause a complete road block for

other vehicles wishing to pass by, while busses are legitimately waiting at bus stops according to their timetables. As bus stops are clearly marked with signs, it should be easy to see where it is not appropriate to park.

If you see a vehicle causing an obstruction on a pavement please report it to the Police using the 101 number advising them the vehicle is causing an obstruction. Test Valley Borough Council can only enforce parking restrictions where yellow lines are supported by a Traffic Regulation Order.

Prior to roads being adopted by Hampshire County Council (HCC) as highways maintainable at the public’s expense, the responsibility for the maintenance of the roads/footways and foot/cycle ways rests with the developer. Taylor Wimpey have provided grit bins in certain areas for residents to use around the development. 

If you feel that your area requires a grit bin please contact Taylor Wimpey.

If your road has been adopted by HCC, you can ask HCC to provide salt bins directly. You can find more information regarding salt bins on HCC website at http://www.hants.gov.uk/roads/weather-on-roads/saltbins

HCC’s, priority is given to gritting key transport routes and not residential streets. This is consistent with the approach across Hampshire.

These roads are specifically designed to encourage a slow vehicle speed as they are a surface where pedestrians, cyclists and drivers share the same space.

Two local centres are proposed to serve the new community, one in the northern part of the site and the other to the south of Smannell Road. In both centres land will be reserved for retail uses. In the Northern site there is currently a co-op convenience store and other units which are being advertised as retail units. The Southern local centre site is subject to a current planning application.  The developer is only required to market the land for retail uses and does not have to construct the buildings

As part of the planning consent for major development areas such as Augusta Park, the Council identifies what facilities will be required to support that community in what is sometimes referred to as a “local centre”.  Within the proposed local centre in the southern part of the development (to the south of Smannell Road) land has been  reserved for a variety of uses, including a health centre, place of worship, day nursery, public house, shops and offices. For more information, please visit Taylor Wimpey’s website https://www.taylorwimpey.co.uk/proposed-developments/england/hampshire/andover/augusta-park.

Thus far there has been no interest from any potential purchaser/ occupier for the purposes of a health or clinical facility.

The CCG has subsequently confirmed to the TVBC Planning Policy team that they  are not looking to support any additional GP practices in Andover and are addressing the increased patient numbers through increased capacity at the closest existing practice. Please email any queries to:

WHCCG.Yourfeedback@nhs.net

This is a common problem in Test Valley and indeed across the country. The Environmental Protection Act 1990 states that householders should not store their bins on public rights of way as it acknowledges that they can cause disruption to people in wheelchairs and people moving push chairs etc. Instead they should be left out the day before and collected within a day of a collection. There are other reasons why bins on pavements are a problem,  they are an eye sore and can be damaged, lost or filled up by people going past them. Test Valley Borough Council contacts households not complying in this way, but unfortunately there is no enforcement action the Council can take so we aim to encourage people to comply with this request by appealing to their better nature. We are aware that some householders have nowhere to store their bins (i.e. no useable space in their front garden and no access to a back garden) and there is little that TVBC can do to help here. Where changes can be made, some households have put slabs in their front garden to create a storage area for their bins and this works well. This is a very small number of properties and it is important that other householders do not use this as an excuse to not put their bins away either - please act considerately and try to be a good neighbour whenever possible.

Hampshire County Council has confirmed that there is no requirement for a secondary school on the East Anton development. The developer was therefore free to develop the land and have been granted planning consent for 350 homes.

The developers have funded subsidised bus passes for residents at Augusta Park for up to a year. Only residents who are the first occupants of their address qualify for the subsidised passesfor Wheelers travel. The passes cost £10 (for a three month pass) and are issued quarterly from Beech Hurst Council Offices, Weyhill Road, Andover. You can download an application form for the bus pass scheme on Test Valley Borough Council’s website.

The cycle discount vouchers are available to those who are first occupants of their

homes only and are limited to 1 per household. They are issued on a first come, first

served basis, until the available funds are depleted. The discount voucher can be put towards the cost of a bicycle, bicycle accessories or bicycle repairs/ servicing at Halfords. To apply please pick up a form from the Taylor Wimpey sales office.

The bus service within the development is expected to increase as the development grows and the Spine road (East Anton Farm Road) is adopted by HCC. It is the desire of the Community Travel Plan that no home will be more than 300 yards from a bus stop. You can find bus timetables from Stagecoach travel https://www.stagecoachbus.com/timetables

The Augusta Park Community Centre is located on the Northern side of Smannell Road, near to the co-op convenience store. It is run by the Augusta Park Community Association. If you would like further information on booking, what’s on or are interested in becoming a volunteer, contact admin@myaugustapark.org.uk or call 01264 310921

On the Southern side of Smannell Road is the YMCA community centre, to make a booking or find out what’s on, contact http://www.ymca-fg.org/news/2017/04/ymca-andover/

There is one cricket table, one junior pitch, four 9 x 9 football pitches and three mini football pitches at East Anton Sports Ground. The pitches are being used well.

If you would like to make a booking, contact pitchbookings@testvalley.gov.uk