A Great Place to Live

A New Home

Andover is a great place to live. It is well served with facilities and jobs, well-connected transport links and has a great sense of community. It is also growing, with opportunities to move into our new neighbourhoods.
Andover has a home to suit every taste and every pocket, from affordable apartments in the centre of the town to period properties - from historic houses to new developments. Andover has over 20,000 dwellings and is growing every day. There is a good mix of tenures - private (to buy and rent) and affordable (renting from a Registered Provider) and Shared Ownership. Generally, homes in Andover can be more affordable than in neighbouring centres.
For new employers, a good supply of housing to rent can be important for employees re-locating and the Council has a dedicated team responsible for ensuring private rented housing is suitable and available in Andover. For information about how the Council can help you find a home please visit Test Valley Borough Council - Housing

The Local Futures Group Inward Investment Scores rank all 325 local authorities in England according to a single Business Location Index. This Index combines three broad categories: Economic Performance; Human Resources and Environment and Infrastructure. Each of these broad categories comprises 5 separate measures.

Test Valley falls within the top quartile for the Overall Business Location Index. It also falls within the top 25% of local authorities for Business & Enterprise (Economic Performance) and 4 of the 5 measures within the Human Resources main category.

Education

We have 10 great primary schools, 3 secondary schools in the town and another one nearby:

Andover is also well-served by independent schools:

Rookwood School (Andover)
Farleigh School (Red Rice, near Andover)
Hampshire Collegiate School (Embley Park)

Andover College, which is part of Sparsholt College, students enjoyed a 100% pass rate in 2017; the College is in the top 5% of colleges nationally for its Value Added A level results.

"Our largest A-Level cohort, once again delivered outstanding results. One of our key strengths is the high standards of teaching and learning- the difference at Andover College is that excellent results are achieved in a student-centred environment- no high pressure hot house here! We have a proven record of helping students of all levels achieve their potential." Deputy Principal Martin Simmons.

The University of Winchester is also on our doorstep and is heavily involved in Andover’s Higher Education provision.

"The University of Winchester has a long-standing commitment to Andover, supporting and encouraging the progression to Higher Education of all students who have academic potential. Links with all the town’s primary and secondary schools are strong, with children and young people visiting the University campus and University staff leading workshops in schools.

Many of the University’s students come from Andover, which is just a 30 minute drive away. We have worked in partnership with Andover College for over a decade through our Compact Partnerships Scheme and receive a number of applications annually from students of the College." Prof Joy Carter, Vice-Chancellor, The University of Winchester

Leisure and Fun

Andover’s fantastic theatre The Lights attracted well over 100,000 visitors last year and is a great asset to the town. A new five screen Odeon cinema has the latest 3D technology. Andover Leisure Centre in the heart of the town centre has everything the sports enthusiast could want to keep fit and Charlton Sports Complex has a running track, sports pitches and a pavilion. Andover has a great range of community sports clubs and opportunities to look after your self. A good example of this is the Andover Park Run.

Andover's Museum of the Iron Age contains one of the best displays on that era - featuring Danebury Hillfort - in the country. And not to mention, the wealth of beautiful countryside that surrounds Andover.

The countryside around Andover offers a wealth of opportunities for informal recreation including nature reserves, walks and now a community woodland. A new Diamond Jubilee Community woodland is being created between East Anton, Enham and Smannell on the north east side of Andover by the Council, Woodland Trust, Forestry Commission and Andover Trees United. The 44 acre woodland will become a lasting recreational and educational asset for the benefit of Andover.

Within the town there are many lovely open spaces including Rooksbury Mill, Anton Lakes and the Ladies Walk footpath overlooking the town.

Broadband

Andover’s BT exchange is upgraded to deliver 20-40 MB/s and in March 2012, Virgin Media announced that Andover will be one of the first 30 towns to have its service improved so that Andover customers will have their connection speeds doubled.

Shops

Andover has a great range of shopping, both in the town centre; with its traditional mix of independent retailers and multiples in the High Street and Chantry Centre, but also in the large superstores and retail parks on the edge of the town. ASDA, Sainsbury, Tesco and Waitrose all have at least one large store here. Andover caters for a shopping catchment of just over 80,000 people.

The Council has recently launched an initiative to enhance Andover Town Centre £2.9 million has been invested in extending and refurbishing Andover bus station, completed in Autumn 2014. The Council continues to support and invest in Andover, for more information please click on the link to our Andover Summit page on our website. http://www.testvalley.gov.uk/business/towncentremanagement/andover-town-centre-summit/

Health

Andover has its own War Memorial Hospital with a minor injuries unit, which recently underwent a £4.5m improvement programme was recently completed. Winchester provides the closest A&E and caters for more serious injuries and illnesses.

Community

Andover is a friendly town with a great sense of community. Its many local groups and societies together with its very own radio station demonstrate just how strong Andover’s community feeling is. Andover is a town to grow up in where youngsters remain in touch throughout their lives in business and in pleasure.

According to a new Daily Telegraph index, Test Valley is the best place to live in England and Wales and comes top of the 7,137 areas reviewed: www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/economics/11041812/Mapped-the-best-places-to-live-in-England-and-Wales.html