Leaked plans for the Oasis 'a whole big mess'

The campaign group fighting back to reopen the leisure centre are calling the documents, which should have been confidential, 'unacceptable'

Author: Oliver MorganPublished 7th Oct 2024

More than a week on from plans for the Oasis refurbishment being leaked, the campaign group wanting to see the building restored tell us they're 'dismayed'.

The Grade-II listed leisure centre closed indefinitely in November 2020, which at the time, provoked backlash from a number of local stakeholders, in a decision GLL back then said was a decision they didn't 'take lightly'.

Four years later, and plans have more than progressed.

Last month, what was meant to be a confidential meeting between council officers, architects and the leaseholders, SevenCapital, they seemed close to unveiling what many in the Borough were hoping would be a full restoration of the site.

We hadn't known what was a part of the plans, but a website had already been set up in anticipation of the planning application being published before these details had been leaked.

The redevelopment has been slammed as a 'whole big mess' - following what had been discussed at the pre-planning meeting being publicly revealed on September 25th.

What's been reportedly discussed include the scaling back of outdoor leisure facilities, the number of parking spaces being reduced, and the sports and music hall being demolished.

A 'fiasco'

The SOS campaign group met with local MP Heidi Alexander on Friday (4 October) - as well as the original manager of the leisure centre - to discuss these leaked plans.

Neil Robinson, from campaign group, told Greatest Hits Radio: "In the leaked plans, there will be no music hall, no sports hall, and all of the land will be lost.

"The whole thing is one big mess because we've got the situation where the Wyvern theatre is coming to the end of its life, so now the council is promising us a new venue.

"The least that SevenCapital can do right now is commit to rebuilding a new music venue at the Oasis - especially when they're making so much money from the developments, which we've seen, are supposedly going to be built on the site.

"It's not acceptable - and residents in Swindon really need to band together now and support our campaign over the next couple of weeks.

"Our message is to save the Oasis in full.

"Not just the building, either, but everything around it, because we've been speaking to experts who've told us the swimming pool may open in 2026, but it won't be open for long.

"People are fed up with yet another fiasco in Swindon.

"We're having too many houses built, and not enough facilities."

'This is a serious confidentiality breach'

A spokesperson for Swindon Borough Council 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 allow everyone to fully review and comment on plans for the refurbishment of the Oasis Leisure Centre and the wider regeneration of the area.

“In the meantime, members of the public can leave their details on SevenCapital’s consultation webpage to receive further details of the scheme when available.”

A planning application for a rebuilt Oasis Centre is still expected before the end of 2024, and the new website has been launched to present the plans in detail, as well as giving residents the opportunity to give their feedback.

Seven Capital, better known as a housing developer, is the de facto owner of the Oasis Centre, holding about 90 years left of a 99-year lease.

A spokesman for the company said: “The planning submission will be in line with the development agreement between Seven Capital and Swindon Borough Council and is expected later this year.

“Once plans have been submitted the website will be populated with information for residents to view in their own time and provide feedback via an online form should they be unable or prefer not to attend in-person consultation events.

“Further information on planning submission and subsequent consultation dates and venue will be provided in due course.”

The target for re-opening the new centre is 2026, the 50th anniversary of its opening.

We have also reached out to the developers for a comment.

Read more: The fight to restore Oasis Leisure Centre in Swindon continues

Read more: Oasis planning application expected to be submitted by end of the year

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