Wave machine will be part of Swindon's Oasis refurbishment

The Oasis will reopen with a working wave machine, the council has confirmed

A wave machine will be reinstalled during the refurbishment of a leisure centre, if plans are approved, the council has confirmed.

Oasis developer Seven Capital had said the wave machine would not be part of the facilities as it would make the leisure centre "less sustainable".

But Swindon Borough Council confirmed on Monday plans to refurbish Oasis centre will include a wave machine.

It follows a campaign by Save Oasis Swindon to include the "famous waves".

The wave machine formed part of the centre until it closed in 2020.

Councillor Jim Robbins said the waves will continue to be "a draw for swimmers"

A spokesperson for the Save Oasis Swindon (SOS) campaign said: "The Oasis without its famous waves did not make sense to us."

After contacting the company that supplied the original machine, it was explained they are now "more efficient, requiring only half the power of the original one", the spokesperson added.

"We also urged residents to put pressure on the council and Seven Capital. We were successful in getting them to reverse the decision."

The council announced the inclusion of a wave machine in plans just days after the managing director of Seven Capital Damien Siviter told campaigners it was too expensive.

But, council leader Jim Robbins confirmed the waves will continue to be "a draw for swimmers" and will therefore be "safeguarded".

"The wave machine is an incredibly important part of the Oasis experience and has to be part of its future," he said.

"It is crucial the new leisure centre is as sustainable as it can be, but not at the cost of foregoing what made the Oasis such a popular attraction in the first place."

"The wave machine is an incredibly important part of the Oasis experience and has to be part of its future," a councillor said

Mr Robbins has also confirmed the Domebusters slides would also be used, and there are discussions about the water cannon, but that cannot yet be guaranteed.

Swindon Borough Council's cabinet member for finance, Kevin Small, said: "The Oasis used to draw people to Swindon from far and wide because of the fantastic Domebusters and the wave machine.

"The leisure centre created Swindon's very own tropical paradise and was unique at the time.

"The wave machine was integral to that design and so I am delighted Seven Capital has recognised this and is committed to making it work."

Mr Siviter said: "We have to strike a balance between trying to make it as energy-efficient and sustainable as possible, while also keeping what made the Oasis so special in the first place.

"The leader of the Council spoke incredibly passionately about the importance of the wave machine and, on reflection, we misjudged how much it was loved by local people.

"We can confirm, therefore, that the refurbished Oasis will contain a wave machine.

"We will make it work."

Mr Small said the intention was to open the centre again in 2026, although it seems likely the previous date of 1 January 2026, the 50th anniversary of opening, will be missed.

Seven Capital now have three years to get planning approval and get the necessary work done to meet the deadline.