Demolition plan for Oasis Leisure Centre in Thorpe St Andrew

New images of the Oasis Leisure Centre in Thorpe St Andrew show the collapsed roof and damaged tennis courts still in disrepair several years after a fire ravaged the building.

The Pound Lane site has been plagued by anti-social behaviour since closing its doors in 2016.

Since then, an arson attack destroyed the roof and police have been called out numerous times to reports of people accessing the site, smashing windows and making a mess of the grounds. 

The Oasis Centre remains derelict (Image: Denise Bradley)

A statement from Norfolk Police was read at Thorpe St Andrew Town Council's annual meeting last Monday which promised that options for increased security were being investigated for the site.

This said: "Collaborative work with Broadland District Council (BDC) to have the Oasis Leisure Centre properly secured and made safe continues.

"The installation of metal shutters to deter anti-social behaviour within the site are being discussed, with the intention being to ultimately demolish the building."

Outline planning permission for a residential care village, submitted by Carlton Hall Residential Home and Village in 2021, was approved by BDC two years later, in 2023.

The tennis courts are so overgrown that trees are growing in the middle (Image: Denise Bradley)

The site closed in 2016 (Image: Denise Bradley)

Last summer this newspaper reported that plans appeared to have stalled and, a year on, little seems to have changed.

Andre Serruys, owner of Serruys Property Company, which owns the site, said that the planning process was proving "arduous and complex".

READ MORE: City centre rooftop bar back in the pipeline after stalling for a year

"This is now, and always has been, the reason for delay," he added.

Once complete, the new care village will comprise of 24 assisted bungalows, 20 assisted flats, management offices and a cafe.

Jonathan Emsell, district councillor for Thorpe St Andrew (Image: Broadland District Council)

Jonathan Emsell, a Conservative district councillor for Thorpe, explained some of the reasons behind the slow progress.

"A care village for the site is a brilliant idea, and the location is a great choice. Carlton Hall Residential Home is a really successful business," he said.

READ MORE: Historic city pub set for 'refresh' as plans for outdoor bar are revealed

"It will have to be built in line with their sustainable business model and they won't want to rush it, particularly as it is a care village and they will need to get a lot of additional support in place before starting the project to make sure it is viable."

The Oasis site is just off Pound Lane in Thorpe St Andrew (Image: Google)

History of the site

The Oasis Sports and Leisure Club used to be a private estate known as Woodlands.

Timber merchant Charles Jecks moved into the site in the late 1850s and it changed hands several times before the Serruys family transformed it into a sports and social club in 1987.

Andre Serruys ran the business until its closure in 2016 after significant losses and redundancies, and the property remains in the ownership of Serruys Property Company.

The same year, Serruys lodged plans with Broadland District Council to redevelop the centre and attach 27 new homes in a last bid attempt to save the business, but it was rejected.