Visitors claim plan for Oasis pool ‘more like splash park’
Visitors to Seven Capital’s drop-in session were able to give the development company’s bosses feedback on their plans
Last updated 28th Nov 2024
Visitors to Seven Capital’s drop-in session to show their plans for a refurbished Oasis centre were able to give the development company’s bosses feedback on their plans.
And there was a common feeling that the redesigned pool didn’t match up to their expectations based on the original lagoon pool.
Seven Capital which has a lease on the site for the best part of the next 90 years is expected to submit a formal planning application for a refurbished centre very soon – and there was an opportunity for visitors to the Institute of Technology across the road from the site to see the plans and discuss with staff from the developers.
Seven Capital had, the day before released a graphic of its plans for the main pool area – which is listed – and that has caused significant concerns with many.
Rowan and Craig Stevens are brothers who grew up very close to the Oasis centre.
Rowant said: “I think these plans aren’t sufficient, and I think Seven Capital is missing a trick.
The new pool looks more like a splash park for small children under a dome – it isn’t what the oasis pool was.
“There’s a big opportunity here – the UK is in love with retro, and here you have the ultimate 1970s centre. If they restored it to how it was people would flock here.”
His brother Craig said: “If Seven Capital refurbish the centre as these plans show, I think people will come out here once out of curiosity but wouldn’t come again. I worry it will fail.”
That was a view repeated by Neil Robinson of the Save Oasis Swindon campaign who said: ”We are getting a lot of feedback from people who are very concerned.
“They’re saying that the pool isn’t what’s needed, that it looks like a pool for young children – it’s very shallow. You can’t do lane swimming in the deep end as you could- there’s a separate pool it looks like, and there are no indoor slides.
“A lot of people are already unhappy that there is no sports hall in the plans and now more are concerned about these plans for the pool. We’re worried that it might not succeed in this form and it’ll be closed again and lost forever.”
A woman who lived very near the centre in North Star, but who did not wish to be named, said she was in favour of the redevelopment of the site and the cleared Clare’s factory site, and said: “U I understand that they need to have housing and the warehouses to pay for it.
“But there doesn’t seem to be much for the community- the pool looks suitable for parents with small children and not many others, and there’s no sports hall- that used to be used for concerts and local clubs and lots of community events like markets.”
Damien Siviter, managing director at Seven Capital was present for the 6-hour long session, and in demand from visitors.
He said: “It’s been a long, busy day – but I believe that people are being largely positive.
“They understand what we are trying to do here
Mr Siviter said a formal planning application was “imminent”. He added: “That’s part of the development agreement we have with the borough council. But there is scope to amend things during the planning process.
“It’s not that you put in the application and nothing can change after that.”
The Oasis closed in November 2020.
Seven Capital has said it is aiming to have a newly refurbished centre open again during 2026, the 50th anniversary of the original centre’s opening.
Read more: Oasis Leisure Centre: Developer insists 'we are listening'