A £ 60 million surfing lagoon could be created near the Trafford Center after new plans are submitted.
Belfast-based real estate developer McKinney Group has submitted its application to Trafford Council in the hope of creating a “world class” oasis in the Greater Manchester area.
The wave garden will be accessible to all ages and abilities, and there will also be an on-site café, restaurant terrace, pop-up beach bars, surf shop, bouldering area and fitness zone, reports the Manchester Evening News.
The project would be run by Wavegarden, a man-made, wave-generating technology company.
Billy McKinney, Managing Director of the McKinney Group, said, “We are very excited to announce our plans after months of discussion with the local community, stakeholders and planners, and of course our online consultation at the start of the year.
“We would like to thank everyone who took part in our consultation and gave us their opinion on our plans to build the first inland surfing facility in the northwest, and we are pleased that over 85 percent of all responses have received express support for our suggestions.
“TraffordCity already has a huge and growing range of recreational opportunities and we look forward to bringing something new to the area that is exciting, interactive and accessible to surfers of all abilities.
If approved, the lagoon is expected to bring in around £ 18 million a year for the local economy
(Image: Peel L&P)
“We are waiting for our proposal to be submitted to Trafford City Council and look forward to getting people on the wave by 2023.”
The TraffordCity location, owned and managed by Peel L&P, includes the Trafford Center and its surrounding 3.5 million square feet of retail, leisure and office space.
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James Whittaker, Executive Development Director at Peel L&P added, “It is fantastic to see the plans for this unique and world class facility progress after the public consultation. At Peel L&P we are committed to using TraffordCity for the benefit of the local community and business.
Modern Surf Manchester would be powered by Wavegarden, whose other attractions around the world include South Korea (pictured)
(Image: Hans Odriozola)
“Our partnerships with developers and leisure companies like McKinney Group continue to enable us to make TraffordCity one of the UK’s most exciting retail and leisure destinations.”
The proposals are expected from developers and sponsors to attract more than 350,000 new visitors to the area, create 240 permanent jobs (with an additional 60 under construction) and could bring in around £ 18 million a year for the local economy.
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The £ 60 million project will be built on the Peel L&P wasteland on Barton Dock Road in Trafford Park. It will be the first inland surf facility to open in the northwest and, if approved by the council, is expected to open by 2023.
Trafford City Council’s Planning Department will decide on the application after going through normal planning procedures.
