Politics & Council · Swindon
Swindon councillors and public push for more swimming and sports hall facilities
By Swindon Now Editorial Team · Published
Concerns regarding a lack of sports halls and swimming facilities in Swindon have reached the council as officials look at future planning requirements.
Concerns over the availability of sports and swimming facilities in Swindon have prompted a review of how the town plans for future leisure infrastructure. During a meeting of the Heritage, Culture and Leisure Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 17 September, local representatives and members of the public argued that current provision is failing to keep pace with the town's development.
Councillor Neil Hopkins highlighted findings from a report by Wiltshire and Swindon Sport, which identifies a significant shortage of large sports halls. He suggested that the loss of the large hall at the former Oasis Leisure Centre had contributed to the current deficit. Cllr Hopkins further argued that the way new residential developments, particularly in areas like the Eastern Villages, are being parcelled out into smaller units of 300 to 500 homes often bypasses the thresholds required to trigger the provision of major new sports centres or halls.
"It is an important issue strategically for Swindon, because if we do not have the sports halls, we are not going to get a fitter population," Cllr Hopkins stated. He emphasised that the lack of infrastructure needed to be addressed directly within the council's Local Plan to ensure long-term public health benefits.
The debate also touched on the maintenance of existing community assets. Cllr Hopkins warned that without a robust expectation for the upkeep of leased sports facilities, the council faces a potential crisis in the coming decade. He suggested that inadequate maintenance could lead to buildings falling into disrepair, ultimately resulting in significant costs for the taxpayer to either refurbish or replace them.
In response, Councillor Matthew Vallender, the Cabinet member for culture, planning and regeneration, confirmed that a sports facilities needs assessment has already been conducted as part of the evidence base for the Local Plan. He noted that this assessment specifically addresses the deficit in swimming provision. However, he admitted that the council's capacity to drive these projects is limited, as Swindon Borough Council no longer retains an internal dedicated sports and leisure team.
Cllr Vallender confirmed that he intends to discuss these facility pressures with Greenwich Leisure Limited, the organisation that currently operates the town's leisure portfolio, as part of ongoing efforts to manage and improve local sporting access. Future discussions regarding how these needs are integrated into the planning process are expected to continue.
Source: Swindon Advertiser - Lifestyle · View original