Entertainment Swindon

Back on the 25th September 2024, the plans for the Oasis Leisure Centre in Swindon were leaked to Entertainment Swindon after the planning meeting that sat behind closed doors ahead of being officially submitted for planning and on view to the public, which still to date are still not available to the public.

Entertainment Swindon were shown leaked plans for the development of the iconic Oasis Leisure Centre by some of the planning committee after their closed door meeting, where we were able to trace a sketch drawing of the plan we were shown. Although not the greatest drawing, it is accurate to the official plan shown the the committee.

The meeting that was conducted on Teams remotely saw the plans presented by architect Ian Harding on behalf of Seven Capital. The plans show the Oasis is set to lose the multipurpose sports hall/music venue, which is still the largest sports hall in Wiltshire which has been passionately fought for by campaign group Save Oasis Swindon who believe if the sports hall is torn down, not only will it lose half the leisure centres heritage and link to a history of over 40yrs of live music that saw internationally known iconic bands, including indie band, Inspiral Carpets who performed at the Oasis in 1991.

At the time an unknown Noel Gallagher who was a roadie for the band which would go on to join his brother to form the most iconic Brit Pop band of the 90s ‘Oasis’ inspired by the leisure centre Oasis during his time as a roadie for Inspiral Carpets. With Oasis announcing the long awaited reunion tour for 2025 the Save Oasis campaign has gone into overdrive to save the Oasis back to its former Morning Glory.

As well as the loss of the sports hall, the plans show the carpark will be reduced in size by over 200 parking places, leaving just 250 parking spaces for the centre, something Labour led SBC said would not be effected by the development.

Jim Robbins, leader of SBC publicly stated on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) that there would be very little change to the iconic leisure centre by saying: “There isn’t much of a reduction in space, it is slightly smaller. Just not a hall as demanded isn’t there”. It’s clear from aerial images of the Oasis, that if the sports hall is demolished, it won’t be slightly smaller, it will be around 50% smaller. When will Jim Robbins finally come out with the truth and clarity to the people of Swindon?

Inside the centre, the now Heritage Status dome will be brought back to life with the lagoon pool and Dome Busters and dryside there will be a small gym, cafe as well as adding a new floor above the cafe for a bowling alley.

Surrounding the Oasis, the planned residential estate resembles something that can only be described as a Cold War Soviet era estate with nine large high-rise block of flats, each likely to be 6 to 8 stories tall.

As well as the surrounding planned blocks of flats will be two large Amazon/B&Q size warehouses. The leaked plans of which we have seen a 3D plan of the proposed site around the Oasis was described jokingly to us by our contact in the council by saying: “Well, at least the view of the Slavic blocks of flats will be softened by the large warehouses”

Our contact went on to say: “Guess it will blend in with that bloody ugly tower at North Star Campus next door”.

Back in September when we spoke to the founder of Save Oasis Swindon about the proposal, Neil Robinson said: “The council are signing off the death warrant on the Oasis getting rid of the sports hall! But it’s not over yet, we will fight to the very end to save the Oasis for the long term future.

Neil went on to say: “We still have time, the planning stage gives the people of Swindon the chance to show their objections. I’m sure Sport England will object also”.

We recently caught up with Neil to show him the plans to get his views on the plans and this is what he had to say: “I’m shocked! The plans show the proposals far worse than explained, its disgraceful! The Save Oasis team recently attended a meeting with South Swindon MP Heidi Alexander, and were in disbelief when shown the plans for the first time.”

Neil went on to say: “All of our jaws dropped to the floor! They were far worse than we had imagined… There was never any previous mention of high-rise flats and warehouses. Just two storey flats. No wonder the plans had been kept under wraps!”.

Neil is calling on the whole of Swindon to get behind the campaign to save the Oasis sports hall, and when the public finally get to see the plans, to put in their complaints against the submitted plans for the Oasis and the surrounding area.

Industry experts have told Entertainment Swindon if the sports hall is demolished, it will seal the fate of the iconic leisure centre to a short lived rebirth and will once again close its doors if the centre has no sports hall to bring in the needed finances to keep the Oasis financially viable.

Big Blocks of flats have been proven to be high crime magnets, you just have to look at these high-rise estates in London and other cities and what recent governments have done to demolish many of these and replace with smaller blocks and community spaces. For the thousands of people that will end up moving into the high-rise flats surrounding the Oasis, there is no planned green spaces, just a concrete jungle.

Members of the public are being encouraged to submit objections to the prosed plans that will be made public very soon.

The Plans are likely to be put on to the councils public planning portal in the coming days to look at and make objections, so check on the Council portal, just click the link HERE. It’s expected the plans will hit the public portal in the near future.