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Work starts on two new studios at the Didcot Wave

Published Tuesday 8 July 2025

Works starts this week at the Didcot Wave Leisure Centre to create two new studio spaces.

The leisure centre in Didcot will benefit 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.

Work gets underway on Wednesday 9 July and it is anticipated it will last for around eight weeks.

The studios will be sited in the space of the unused old café and kitchen.

The area where the work is taking place will be screened off with hoarding and signs will be in place flagging information for centre users. There will be a temporary access ramp in place.

There will be minimal disruption for centre visitors and no impact on use of the facilities.

The design of the new studios will ensure they are accessible to a wide range of users. There will be 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 great to see work starting on these exciting new facilities at Didcot Wave. The new studios will provide more opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to stay active and healthy.

“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.

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.