Structural Assessments Planned for Closed Leisure Facility

A historic leisure facility, presently non-operational and slated for renovation, will undergo specific examinations to verify its structural integrity. The well-known domed Oasis in Swindon is scheduled for assessments comprising visual checks and percussive testing using hammers on its surfaces to determine the condition and safety of its reinforced concrete. Local authority planning officials have granted approval for the initiative, stating it will contribute to the “overall longer-term aims of renovating the building and bringing it back into use”. The facility has remained closed since 2020, following the declaration by its operating company that it was no longer economically sustainable. Swindon Borough Council holds ownership of the complex, which is leased to Seven Capital, the entity responsible for developing the current proposals. The submitted application specifies: “If surface damage is caused as a result of hammer testing, this is a result of the concrete having deteriorated and is an intended, necessary, result of the procedure in order to allow inspection of the defects present.” Upon approving the proposition, council planning officers documented: “The works will assist with overall longer-term aims of renovating the building and bringing it back into use. This is a public benefit.” Both the council and Seven Capital have indicated that a re-opening by the close of 2026 is considered achievable.