Plans for Oasis centre revealed
The iconic dome and centre could be demolished
Last updated 18th Nov 2021
The Oasis’ iconic dome could be demolished and the centre largely rebuilt as part of ambitious news plans put forward by a developer.
Seven Capital, which has a 99-year lease on the centre which shut in November last year, wants to knock down the ageing building and replace it with new ones before reopening the site as a leisure facility.
The pool and slides would be kept and Seven says it has a firm lined up to run the centre.
There is an application to have the existing building listed, which is being considered by Historic England. That does not affect these proposals, but if the building is listed, Seven Capital will need to get another specific planning consent.
Managing director at Seven Capital Angus Michie said: “We understand fully how important the Oasis is to the people of Swindon and we have explored every possible solution we could to feasibly allow the facility to be reopened so it provides a similar, but significantly enhanced experience.
“To be able to do this and give the Swindon community what they deserve from this kind of facility, which includes ensuring it is safe, energy efficient and affordable, sadly this means the dome roof needs to be replaced.
“All the measures we are proposing would effectively lead to better functionality and lower running costs of the Oasis, which in turn will make it more sustainable long-term and importantly, cheaper for users.
“I am confident that the solution we are putting forward for the Oasis will give it the longevity to be enjoyed over the next 50 years and beyond as the iconic centre it has been since the 1970s.”
According to Seven, the dome’s replacement roof would be ‘designed to provide all of its current benefits but within a significantly more sustainable design’.
It continues ‘natural light and the tropical atmosphere would be preserved via a large, glazed drum design, topped with a green, bio solar roof to enhance the entire building’.
Borough council leader David Renard said: “The Oasis holds a special place in the hearts of people in Swindon and beyond and we have always been clear that we wanted to see it reopened so it can be enjoyed by families for many more decades to come.
“I am therefore extremely pleased that Seven Capital has shown its commitment to investing in an enhanced, modern leisure centre which we hope will be the envy of many towns and cities in the region, just like the Oasis was in its heyday.
“The current building has a number of issues and is hugely energy inefficient and with the Council committing itself to a carbon neutral target by 2030, we need to ensure the Oasis has both a green and sustainable future.
“This is an important first step, but there is a long way to go both with the application, which will now be subject to the normal planning process, and our ongoing commercial discussions with Seven Capital on this exciting proposal.”
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Under the proposals, an additional third floor is planned, above the existing café, to house a gym and studio along with a new three-storey extension to form a new feature entrance and changing facilities for the third floor.
The new floor and extension will replace the existing sports building, which would also be demolished under new plans as it is regarded as architecturally poor.
The football pitches will be relocated to two new multi-use games pitches and 15 additional disabled parking spaces would be introduced along with 36 cycle spaces.
Measures to make the building sustainable and more environmentally friendly include the introduction of green roofs, PV panels and new external cladding to provide better thermal capacity.
Swindon Borough Council planners will consider the bid in due course.