New studios open at the Didcot Wave
Published Thursday 27 November 2025
Two new studio spaces opened at the Didcot Wave Leisure Centre this month, with further work starting on improvements to dryside changing rooms at the centre.
The leisure centre in Didcot has benefited from £140,000 worth of improvements – with the creation of a multi-use studio, suitable for a range of classes, alongside a new dedicated fourteen-bike spin studio.
Hot on the heels of the studios, work also begins shortly on the dryside changing rooms at the centre, which are undergoing a £250,000 revamp. This work will start early in 2026.
Work to create the studios took place over the summer. The studios are now sited in the space of an unused old café and kitchen, so it is a good example of bringing an unused area back into practical use.
The design of the new studios ensures they are accessible to a wide range of users, with double accessible doors and a dedicated space for use by members with mobility and additional needs.
Didcot Wave is run by Better on behalf of the council. Visit the Better Didcot Wave Leisure Centre website for more information on the centre.
Cllr Georgina Heritage, Cabinet Member for Communities at South Oxfordshire District Council, said: “It is exciting to see the new facilities at Didcot Wave now open. The new studios will provide more opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to stay active and healthy. I’m also pleased to see the work on the dryside changing rooms starting in earnest – which will improve the experience for centre visitors once finished.
“This is part of the wider picture of investment we are making at this leisure centre and at our leisure centres across the district.”
The majority of the project cost is funded from Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) – money from new developments in the area which goes towards local infrastructure.
Last year, the gym at Didcot Wave Leisure Centre benefitted to the tune of £130,000 with new state-of-the-art cardio and resistance equipment.
The delivery of the studios is a great example of the delivery of identified facility needs as set out in the council’s recently adopted Playing Pitch and Leisure Facility Strategies, which provide a road map for the future aspirations of leisure and sports provision.
Energy efficient improvements
The work on the studio is in addition to major building work announced in 2024 when South Oxfordshire District Council was successful in its application for government funding for energy efficient improvements at Didcot Wave.
This was a joint £3m package to replace end of life gas boilers with solar panels, air source heat pumps and insulation at both Didcot Wave leisure centre and Park Sports Centre in Wheatley. The work is expected to be completed next year.
When all the new renewable energy measures are installed, they will save more than 200 tonnes in carbon emissions each year as so much of the energy needed to run the leisure centres will be soon be renewable rather than from fossil fuels. This will reduce South Oxfordshire District Council’s overall emissions by 6.9 per cent.
Picture details:
From LR: Kevin Williams South and Vale Partnership Manager for GLL, Dan Pawlowski from Baily Garner, Cllr Mocky Khan ward councillor, Cllr Georgina Heritage Cabinet Member for Communities, Gary Starkey Head of Service GLL, Jan Smith Leisure Projects Officer at South Oxfordshire District Council, Rebecca Richmond General Manager Didcot Wave.
