A HAMPSHIRE council bought a town's shopping centre in a multi-million deal.

Test Valley Borough Council has bought Andover's Chantry Centre outright, in a deal worth £7.2million.

The agreement will allow the council to ‘push forward’ with a project of creating a ‘Cultural Quarter’ on the former magistrates court site while also undertaking works on the Chantry Centre to provide a major redevelopment of Andover town centre.

Leader of Test Valley Borough Council, Councillor Phil North said: “This is an incredibly important purchase for the council. I have made clear my aspiration to improve Andover – and full ownership of the Chantry Centre is essential in order for us to pursue our redevelopment plans.

“Due to commercial sensitivities we have been unable to talk about the Chantry Centre purchase until now and its link to the Cultural Quarter – where we also plan to redevelop the area around the magistrates court - providing a new theatre and eateries with outdoor seating.

“Joining these projects together is a once in a generation opportunity for the town which I’m determined to grab with both hands. The new riverside park at Town Mills will also play a vital role in the overall enhancement of the area.

“This is a project for the people of Andover to create an attractive and vibrant town centre.”

Work is expected to begin immediately to completely refurbish the toilets at Andover bus station, to bring the facilities up to the same standard as the new Changing Places toilet in the Unity premises.

And it is planned that the Chantry Centre car park opening hours will be extended “for the benefit of customers of The Lights and leisure centre, as well as those out for drinks or a meal in the town centre.”

Plans for a ‘Cultural Quarter’ were unveiled in 2017 after the magistrates court closed in 2010 as the government decided that 93 courts were to shut in England and Wales to modernise the judicial system.

The borough council previously owned 40 per cent of the Chantry Centre, but has taken over the control of the site by buying the long leasehold from management company Aviva.

Following masterplan work and public feedback, the council will evaluate redevelopment options in a bid to attract more jobs to the borough and increase town centre footfall.