A practical sequence of proposed steps for Test Valley.
Short, medium and longer-term stages describe what should happen first. They are not promised completion dates. Costs, funding and powers must be established before adopting a proposal.
Proposal
Build on the funded programme and local partnerships
October’s decision funds priority town-centre projects and retains a separate rural fund.
Andover, Romsey and rural communities can follow different schemes within one clear programme.
Who could lead: Test Valley Borough Council and local delivery partners.
- Start now — proposed
Publish separate project budgets, responsibilities and approved scope.
- Next steps — proposed
Coordinate construction and communication with local organisations.
- Longer term — proposed
Report completed benefits separately from money committed or paid.
How to judge progress
Starting point: Council investment update, 16 October 2026.
Measure: Funded scope, milestones and useful facilities opened.
Trade-off: Programme-level funding should not be double-counted as a separate award to every project.
Cost: No costed delivery assessment has been established here. These are proposed sequences, not funded promises or completion deadlines.
Andover: new home for The Lights theatre →
Romsey: new community hub and public space →
Rural communities: Community Delivery Fund →
Proposal
Keep daily access working through town-centre change
The Western Avenue park requires highway changes, and Romsey’s preferred plan changes the bus-station area.
People still need routes, parking where required, buses and meeting space during construction.
Who could lead: Test Valley Borough Council and Hampshire County Council.
- Start now — proposed
Publish accessible routes and temporary arrangements for each stage.
- Next steps — proposed
Keep local businesses, bus passengers and community groups involved in changes.
- Longer term — proposed
Audit the completed links and facilities against the original access needs.
How to judge progress
Starting point: Approved Andover highway changes and Romsey preferred option.
Measure: Accessible journeys maintained, disruption days and post-opening routes.
Trade-off: Street changes create winners and losers; wider benefits need clear evidence and workable diversions.
Cost: No costed delivery assessment has been established here. These are proposed sequences, not funded promises or completion deadlines.
Andover: Western Avenue riverside park →
Romsey: new community hub and public space →
Proposal
Connect the new theatre, river and surrounding businesses
The theatre and riverside park are part of the same Andover regeneration programme.
Connected destinations could encourage longer visits and make everyday public space more useful.
Who could lead: Test Valley Borough Council with venue operators and businesses.
- Start now — proposed
Check pedestrian links, wayfinding and public access across both schemes.
- Next steps — proposed
Coordinate opening and activity plans with neighbouring businesses.
- Longer term — proposed
Measure resident use and wider town-centre activity after opening.
How to judge progress
Starting point: October funding decision and September highway approval.
Measure: Connected routes, participation, footfall and occupied premises.
Trade-off: A new attraction does not guarantee wider spending or equal access for all residents.
Cost: No costed delivery assessment has been established here. These are proposed sequences, not funded promises or completion deadlines.
Andover: new home for The Lights theatre →
Andover: Western Avenue riverside park →
Proposal
Protect long-term affordability after the capital decision
Major building and public-space commitments now need delivery and ongoing operation.
A funded build still needs maintenance, staffing and affordable access.
Who could lead: Test Valley Borough Council and future operators.
- Start now — proposed
Publish whole-life running and maintenance assumptions.
- Next steps — proposed
Track construction cost changes and keep rural commitments visible.
- Longer term — proposed
Compare actual costs and use with the case approved by Council.
How to judge progress
Starting point: October 2026 programme decision.
Measure: Final cost, operating subsidy, affordable use and maintenance condition.
Trade-off: Capital spending can create future running costs even where current borrowing is not expected.
Cost: No costed delivery assessment has been established here. These are proposed sequences, not funded promises or completion deadlines.
Andover: new home for The Lights theatre →
Romsey: new community hub and public space →
Rural communities: Community Delivery Fund →
Proposal
Make room for homes people can afford
Average private rent is £1,235 a month (August 2026) in Test Valley council area. This is £224 lower than the England average for the same month. Homes rented privately ranged from 9.3% in North Baddesley to 21.5% in Mid Test — a gap of 12.3 percentage points.
Housing costs matter most alongside earnings and the number of affordable homes available. A local average cannot tell us whether a particular household can afford its home.
Who could lead: The housing and planning authorities, housing associations and developers.
- Start now
Publish the local waiting list, temporary accommodation and affordable-home delivery figures together. Start by checking the different needs in Mid Test and North Baddesley; census differences are not proof of unmet demand.
- Over the next few years
Test proposed housing sites against affordable-home need, access to work, school places and water capacity.
- Over the longer term
Check whether completed homes reduce unmet need, rather than counting planning permissions as delivery.
How to judge progress
Starting point: Average private rent is £1,235 a month (August 2026) in Test Valley council area. Homes rented privately ranged from 9.3% in North Baddesley to 21.5% in Mid Test — a gap of 12.3 percentage points. 21 March 2021; 20 of 20 current wards have comparable figures.
Measure: Affordable homes completed, households waiting, time in temporary accommodation, and rent compared with local earnings.
Trade-off: More homes can put pressure on infrastructure and land. Affordability requirements also affect development viability.
Cost: No costed delivery assessment has been established here. These are proposed sequences, not funded promises or completion deadlines.
Evidence: Average monthly rent →
Evidence: Average home price →
Proposal
Plan homes and care around an older population
21.2% of people in Test Valley council area were aged 65 or over (21 March 2021). People aged 65 or over ranged from 5.9% in Andover Downlands to 35.9% in Romsey Abbey — a gap of 29.9 percentage points.
Age alone does not mean poor health or a need for care. Accessible homes, reliable transport and support close to home matter as people get older.
Who could lead: Adult social care, local health services, housing providers and transport authorities.
- Start now
Compare the location of older residents with access to care, shops and transport. Start by checking the different needs in Romsey Abbey and Andover Downlands; census differences are not proof of unmet demand.
- Over the next few years
Prioritise home adaptations and care capacity in places with the clearest unmet need.
- Over the longer term
Build accessible homes and joined-up care into local development plans.
How to judge progress
Starting point: 21.2% aged 65 or over; 21 March 2021. People aged 65 or over ranged from 5.9% in Andover Downlands to 35.9% in Romsey Abbey — a gap of 29.9 percentage points. 21 March 2021; 20 of 20 current wards have comparable figures.
Measure: Waits for home adaptations and care, avoidable hospital stays, and accessible homes delivered.
Trade-off: Services need skilled staff and ongoing funding. Age profiles alone cannot measure unmet care need.
Cost: No costed delivery assessment has been established here. These are proposed sequences, not funded promises or completion deadlines.
Evidence: People aged 65 or over →
Proposal
Bring support closer to people in poor health
3.9% of people reported bad or very bad health in Test Valley council area (21 March 2021). Across England, the figure was 5.2%. People reporting bad or very bad health ranged from 2.2% in Valley Park to 6.1% in Andover St Mary's — a gap of 3.9 percentage points.
This is how residents described their health in the census. It can reveal differences between neighbourhoods, but does not diagnose illness or measure current waiting times. Age profiles differ between places, so these shares do not measure service quality.
Who could lead: Local health services, public health teams, employers and community organisations.
- Start now
Use neighbourhood evidence to find where poor health and barriers to services overlap. Start by checking the different needs in Andover St Mary's and Valley Park; census differences are not proof of unmet demand.
- Over the next few years
Test accessible local support and publish who is reached and who is missed.
- Over the longer term
Review whether health gaps narrow, alongside housing and employment improvements.
How to judge progress
Starting point: 3.9% reporting bad or very bad health; 21 March 2021. People reporting bad or very bad health ranged from 2.2% in Valley Park to 6.1% in Andover St Mary's — a gap of 3.9 percentage points. 21 March 2021; 20 of 20 current wards have comparable figures.
Measure: Access to services and the health gap between neighbourhoods, using comparable age-adjusted measures when available.
Trade-off: A census snapshot is dated. New service decisions also need current needs assessments and residents’ experience.
Cost: No costed delivery assessment has been established here. These are proposed sequences, not funded promises or completion deadlines.
Evidence: People reporting bad or very bad health →
Proposal
Connect local skills to local opportunities
35.7% of people aged 16 or over had a degree or equivalent (21 March 2021) in Test Valley council area. Across England, the figure was 33.9%. People aged 16+ with no qualifications ranged from 7% in Valley Park to 23.3% in Andover St Mary's — a gap of 16.3 percentage points.
Qualifications show one part of the skills available locally. They do not show whether people have secure jobs or work that uses those skills.
Who could lead: Employers, colleges, universities and the relevant skills authority.
- Start now
Compare vacancies and employer needs with training available to local residents. Start by checking the different needs in Andover St Mary's and Valley Park; census differences are not proof of unmet demand.
- Over the next few years
Link training to real jobs, including routes for people without formal qualifications.
- Over the longer term
Track sustained employment and earnings after training, not just course starts.
How to judge progress
Starting point: 35.7% with a degree or equivalent; 21 March 2021. People aged 16+ with no qualifications ranged from 7% in Valley Park to 23.3% in Andover St Mary's — a gap of 16.3 percentage points. 21 March 2021; 20 of 20 current wards have comparable figures.
Measure: Sustained jobs, earnings and training completion for residents who face barriers to work.
Trade-off: Training takes time and cannot create demand for jobs on its own. Qualifications are not a complete measure of ability.
Cost: No costed delivery assessment has been established here. These are proposed sequences, not funded promises or completion deadlines.
Evidence: People aged 16+ with a degree or equivalent →
Evidence: People aged 16+ with no qualifications →
Andover: new home for The Lights theatre →
Romsey: new community hub and public space →
Proposal
Target safety work where problems repeat
Mapped police records are available for neighbourhoods in Test Valley council area.
Published locations are approximate and some crimes are not mapped. Counts show recorded incidents, not the chance of an individual becoming a victim.
Who could lead: The local police force, council community safety team and relevant services.
- Start now
Check recurring places and categories alongside local police priorities and residents’ reports.
- Over the next few years
Test focused prevention and support, with a comparison period agreed before the work starts.
- Over the longer term
Publish whether problems fall, move elsewhere or return, and adjust the response.
How to judge progress
Crime evidence and coverage →
Starting point: Use the dated, complete periods shown in Crime and safety; keep anti-social behaviour separate.
Measure: Comparable recorded incidents, repeat victimisation and residents’ reported experience; never a single crude league table.
Trade-off: More reporting can increase recorded crime. Enforcement and support may work differently for different problems.
Cost: No costed delivery assessment has been established here. These are proposed sequences, not funded promises or completion deadlines.
Proposal
Turn published plans into visible progress
4 named local projects or plans have official evidence in this collection.
A published plan makes responsibilities and intentions easier to inspect. It does not prove that funding is secured or that promised benefits have arrived.
Who could lead: The named project owners and council scrutiny bodies.
- Start now
Put the scope, owner, funding position and next milestone in one public place.
- Over the next few years
Report delivery against the agreed scope and explain delays or changes.
- Over the longer term
Check the benefits residents actually receive after completion.
How to judge progress
Starting point: The dated stages in Projects; unknown costs and funding remain unknown.
Measure: Milestones met, costs against the approved budget, and measured outcomes after delivery.
Trade-off: Delivery reporting takes staff time, but a launch announcement alone cannot show value for money.
Cost: No costed delivery assessment has been established here. These are proposed sequences, not funded promises or completion deadlines.
Andover: new home for The Lights theatre →
Andover: Western Avenue riverside park →
Romsey: new community hub and public space →
Rural communities: Community Delivery Fund →
Proposal
Target support where disadvantages overlap
Households facing two or more measured disadvantages ranged from 5.8% in Valley Park to 22.1% in Andover St Mary's — a gap of 16.3 percentage points.
These households met at least two census conditions covering education, employment, health and housing. This is not an income or poverty measure.
Who could lead: The council's housing, public health and employment teams, with local services.
- Start now
Check current advice and support access in Andover St Mary's, using the census pattern as a starting point and asking residents what is missing.
- Over the next few years
Test joined-up housing, work and health support, and publish who takes part, who cannot reach it and what changes.
- Over the longer term
Track sustained outcomes and whether gaps between neighbourhoods narrow, using comparable dates and measures.
How to judge progress
Starting point: Households facing two or more measured disadvantages ranged from 5.8% in Valley Park to 22.1% in Andover St Mary's — a gap of 16.3 percentage points. 21 March 2021; 20 of 20 wards.
Measure: Access to support, unresolved housing problems and sustained work or health outcomes. Census percentages alone cannot measure a new programme's success.
Trade-off: Targeting neighbourhoods can miss people in need elsewhere. Avoid labelling every resident by the average for their ward.
Cost: No costed delivery assessment has been established here. These are proposed sequences, not funded promises or completion deadlines.
Evidence: Households facing two or more measured disadvantages →
Andover: new home for The Lights theatre →
Andover: Western Avenue riverside park →
Romsey: new community hub and public space →
Rural communities: Community Delivery Fund →
