Wantage Leisure Centre upgrade
Wantage Leisure Centre on Portway opened as the Wantage Recreation Centre on 22 May 1976 and marked its 50th birthday in 2026. Rather than replace it, Vale of White Horse District Council is investing in the building, first to cut its carbon emissions and then to refresh the gym and changing rooms.
The new leisure centre that wasn’t
For several years the council planned a new leisure centre between Grove and Wantage to serve the growing population. The project was paused in September 2018 and removed from the budget in February 2019. It was formally cancelled in March 2020 because the council could not raise the £18.8 million it would have cost. About £5.9 million was expected from housing developers, of which £1.7 million had been received. The council later asked community and sports groups how developer money for leisure in Wantage, Grove and Faringdon should be spent.
What’s been done so far
From March 2025 contractors replaced and insulated the roof, added triple glazing and installed air source heat pumps powered by solar panels, replacing end-of-life gas boilers. The council announced completion in June 2026. The government’s Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme provided nearly £6 million for this work at Wantage and at the White Horse Leisure and Tennis Centre in Abingdon. Community Infrastructure Levy money and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund also contributed.
What’s next
A £982,000 refurbishment will double the size of the gym and add new equipment. The pool changing area is being redesigned for better privacy and safeguarding, with new toilets and LED lighting. It is paid for from developer contributions (CIL and Section 106) and the council’s capital budget.
By the numbers
- 50 years since opening in 1976
- £982,000 for the gym and changing rooms
- Nearly £6m of government grant shared with Abingdon for decarbonisation
- More than 25 per cent expected cut in the council’s own carbon emissions once both centres are done
What it means for local people
Expect a bigger gym and better changing facilities, though there may be some disruption while work is under way. The pool, used heavily by local schools, stays at the heart of the centre. GLL, which runs the centre as Better, has had its contract extended to August 2029.
How to follow it
Updates are posted by the council and on the centre’s Better web and social media pages.