Conservative councillors try to get Oasis centre de-listed
The iconic Swindon dome received listed status from Historic England
The Conservative administration of Swindon Borough Council will try to have the closed Oasis centre de-listed.
The dome over the pool, built in 1976, was listed at the start of the year by Historic England.
The protection listing gives the building means it may not be demolished and any changes must be agreed after a special planning application.
After discussing the matter with the owners of the building, Seven Capital, which has a 99-year lease on the site, the Conservative group of councillors has agreed a policy of trying to get the building removed from the protected list.
A statement from the Conservative group says "The soaring costs of restoring the recently listed Oasis Leisure Centre have made plans to bring it back to its former glory less viable.
Swindon Conservatives have therefore vowed to take steps to prevent the much-loved facility becoming the next Mechanics’ Institute.
The renovation of the existing structure and listed domed roof would add many millions of pounds to the costs of bringing the building back into use and ensure running costs would be prohibitive to any potential operators.
Heating a 1970s-designed dome is extremely expensive and is not in keeping with the council’s ambitions to achieve Net Zero emissions by 2030.
Swindon Conservatives therefore believe the best way forward is to explore the possibility of de-listing the Oasis."
The leader of the Council, David Renard added that “I have said right from the beginning that we want to see a genuinely sustainable future for the Oasis, but it is now clear that it will be much more difficult whilst the current listing is in place."