The Swindonian understand that on Wednesday evening, 25th September 2024, Swindon Borough Council (SBC) councillors and planning officers met remotely via Teams to discuss the future of the iconic Oasis Leisure Centre.
The meeting was held ahead of the official planning submission and was led by architect Ian Harding on behalf of Seven Capital, the developers behind the project.
The proposals present a mixture of preservation and development, but one notable point is the loss of the multi-use sports hall, which is currently the largest in Wiltshire. This decision has sparked significant concern from the campaign group Save Oasis Swindon, which has fought to protect the facility and its historical ties, particularly its role in Swindon’s live music scene.
The Oasis sports hall has seen more than 40 years of live music performances, including a 1991 performance by the Inspiral Carpets, where a young Noel Gallagher was working as a roadie. The Oasis leisure centre was said to have inspired Gallagher in naming his band Oasis, making the site a symbolic link to Britpop history. With Oasis reuniting for a highly anticipated tour in 2025, the campaign to save the sports hall has gained fresh momentum.
Another key issue raised by the plans is the reduction in car parking spaces, which will see a loss of over 200 spots, leaving 250 parking spaces for the leisure centre. This is contrary to previous claims that the car park would not be affected by the redevelopment.
While the famous dome of the Oasis, which has recently gained heritage status, will be restored along with the lagoon pool and Dome Busters slides, the dryside facilities will be scaled down. The plans include a small gym, a café, and a bowling alley above the café space.
The development surrounding the Oasis has been met with criticism from one of the meeting attendees for resembling Soviet-era architecture. The plans which were shown in a 3D model show nine large, high-rise blocks of flats ranging from six to eight storeys, alongside two B&Q/Amazon sized warehouse buildings.
The unnamed source describing the plans humourously, stated, “At least the view of the Slavic blocks of flats will be softened by the large warehouses.”
Neil Robinson, founder of the Save Oasis Swindon group, has expressed strong opposition to the plans, calling on the public to object to the proposed demolition of the sports hall. Robinson fears that without this vital element, the leisure centre will not be able to sustain its operations in the long term.
“We still have time to act,” Robinson stated, urging the people of Swindon to participate in the planning process and lodge their objections. He remains hopeful that organisations like Sport England will intervene and support the campaign.
Residents will soon be able to view the plans on the council’s public planning portal. Anyone wishing to object is encouraged to keep an eye on the portal in the coming days. Additionally, the Save Oasis Swindon campaign has a petition circulating, and those interested can follow the campaign’s progress on their Facebook page.
Responding to the leak of the plans, a Council spokesperson said “It is extremely disappointing that a person with privileged access to commercially confidential information has tried to pre-empt and undermine the forthcoming public consultation process by sharing their negative views with the media.
“This is a serious confidentiality breach that the Council will investigate fully. SevenCapital has previously announced its intention to carry out a public consultation once plans have been submitted. This will give everyone an opportunity to fully review and comment on plans for the refurbishment of the Oasis Leisure Centre and wider regeneration of the area.
“In the meantime, members of the public can leave their details on SevenCapital’s consultation webpage (https://www.swindonoasis.co.uk/) to receive further details of the scheme when available.”
