Nationally renowned design consultancies scoop Andover masterplan contract
HemingwayDesign and NEW Masterplanning are set to transform the face of Andover after being selected by Test Valley Borough Council to lead on the masterplan project to redevelop the town centre.
HemingwayDesign and its partners NEW Masterplanning saw off strong competition from 29 other consultancies to land the contract.
HemingwayDesign is a multi-disciplinary design agency known for their brave creative thinking and method for delivering positive and socially-responsible design. Their excellent credentials in urban design, placemaking, culture-led regeneration and events include the community-led ‘Blackburn is Open’ project to revitalise the town’s independent retail sector; a people-focused place brand for Middlesbrough; the award-winning Green Hills housing development in Blackburn and the recent First Light Festival as part of a regeneration project for Lowestoft.
Their partners, NEW Masterplanning, will lead the masterplanning and spatial frameworks for Andover. Established in 2006, the company has expertise in urban design, architecture, landscape architecture, planning, community engagement and graphic design.
They have national and international experience and have led high profile projects in major cities and historic centres including Birmingham, Bath, York, Bristol, Gloucester, Rotterdam and Amsterdam. They also have particular expertise in regenerating small towns and local neighbourhoods. In the south west they have prepared delivery frameworks and public realm strategies for market towns such as Keynsham, Devizes, Bodmin, Midsomer Norton, Corsham and Stroud.
Leader of Test Valley Borough Council, Councillor Phil North: “I am really excited that we have secured two of the leading design consultancies in the country to deliver the masterplan for Andover. I have said for some time now that this is truly a once in a generation opportunity for the town and I do not use those words lightly. This will completely change the face of the town centre.
“But it is important to highlight that while we have appointed national experts to undertake the masterplanning process, it is the people of Andover who will have a major say in the future of their town.
“Though it was a bold move to purchase the Chantry Centre, this decision has paved the way for us to redevelop the town on a scale that would not otherwise have been possible. HemingwayDesign and NEW Masterplanning recognised this and were keen to get on board as a result.
“I cannot emphasise enough the significance of the project we are set to undertake - as we bring together plans to completely redevelop the Chantry Centre and deliver the Cultural Quarter - and I am thrilled to be setting off on this journey with two such high-profile companies that genuinely recognise the potential that our town has to offer.”
Wayne Hemingway of Hemingway Design, said: “We come to this project with a strong feeling that the seismic changes in Britain’s town centres create enormous possibilities for fresh thinking and these are times of real opportunity. We are thoroughly looking forward to working with Andover’s residents, businesses and the public sector to start the town’s march towards a vibrant future-facing town centre.”
The masterplan process will take around 12 months to complete and will involve significant consultation with the public to decide what the future of Andover will look like. Once the masterplan is in place, the council is likely to appoint a commercial developer partner to start delivering changes in the town.
You can download a copy of the Andover Town Centre Redevelopment document here.