South Oxfordshire, Vale Councils Scrap £10m HQ Plans for Social Housing

South Oxfordshire District Council is set to scrap plans for a new joint headquarters with Vale of White Horse District Council at the Didcot Gateway site due to the government's local government reorganisation, which will dissolve current councils by April 2028. The £10 million intended for the new office will be redirected to purchase 30 homes for social housing. In Swindon, plans to regenerate the Grade II listed Oasis leisure centre have been partially approved, including refurbishments and new sports facilities, but the proposal to build up to 707 flats to fund the project was rejected over concerns about sustainability, heritage, and proximity to the Wilts & Berks Canal. This decision leaves the future of the leisure centre uncertain, as the developer must reconsider how to finance reopening. Meanwhile, Swindon Housing Company, which had paused new home construction in recent years, is preparing a new five-year plan to resume housing development and return to profitability, aiming to provide quality housing options for residents and stimulate private sector confidence in local projects.