Swindon MP calls for Oasis reopening plans to include wave machine

South Swindon MP Sir Robert Buckland has issued a a plea Swindon Borough Council and SevenCapital to include a wave machine in plans to reopen the Oasis Leisure Centre.

The move comes as the third anniversary approaches of the closure of the centre, which was once not only a major local attraction but a major regional one.

Sir Robert said: “Many of us here in Swindon have enjoyed spending time at the Oasis Leisure Centre over the years, including my own family, so I was extremely disappointed to see this important and much-loved community amenity close three years ago.

“Ever since the closure, I have worked closely with the Save the Oasis Campaign Group and local residents to find a way forward that will allow the Oasis to reopen.

“I have been in close contact with leaseholders, Seven Capital, and landowners Swindon Borough Council over the past months, urging both parties to work together and come up with a solution, so that the Oasis Leisure Centre can be reopened.

“I was encouraged in March of this year when Seven Capital and Swindon Borough Council announced that the 50th anniversary of the Oasis Leisure Centre - January 1st, 2026, was being used as a target by stakeholders to have it open to the public again."

Sir Robert added: “There was further encouraging news this week, when Swindon Borough Council announced a deal with Seven Capital, which would see the Oasis reopen, as well as housing built on the site.

“Further details of the deal were discussed at a council meeting this week, where it was discovered by the Save the Oasis Campaign Group that the plan does not include a wave machine.

“Like many people here in Swindon, I loved the wave machine and enjoyed it with my kids, so I was disappointed to hear this news.

“The wave machine was a huge part of the leisure centre’s attraction, and I share North Swindon MP Justin Tomlinson’s view that without a wave machine, the Oasis would have a significantly reduced appeal, which would reduce the number of paying customers. We need the Oasis not only to reopen, but to remain financially viable to secure its future.

“So, as we approach the third anniversary of the Oasis closure, I would like to urge both Swindon Borough Council and Seven Capital to go back and reconsider this deal and add a wave machine. 

"We have come this far, and we have a plan, but now is the time to work on that plan and improve upon it, so that the people of Swindon and beyond can enjoy our beloved Oasis once again.”