£60m Surf Park coming to Greater Manchester
TraffordCity is set to become home to the region’s first surfing lagoon in plans announced by Belfast-based property developer, McKinney Group, documents submitted to Trafford Council reveal.
The £60m scheme will be located on Peel L&P’s brownfield site off Barton Dock Road in Trafford Park and would be the first inland surfing facility to open in the region by 2023.
It is estimated that the project will create around 100 full-time equivalent jobs.
Capitalising on surfing’s growing popularity worldwide, the complex will complement the already growing leisure offer in TraffordCity and seek to attract even more visitors to the area.
Early designs of the plans feature a surfing lagoon, bar and restaurant facilities and other interactive attractions for visitors and surfers such as a pump track and fitness zone, a halfpipe/boarding area and exercise areas including bouldering and balancing zones.
Powered by Wavegarden, the world leader in man-made, wave-generating technologies, the project, to be known as Modern Surf Manchester, will see perfect waves for beginners, learners and professionals alike to test their skills.
Billy McKinney, managing director at McKinney Group, said: “This is a really exciting project to be bringing to Greater Manchester.
“On the back of becoming an Olympic sport, surfing is growing in popularity and our plans will deliver perfect and consistent waves to TraffordCity and build on the region’s excellent and world-leading sporting assets.
“As well as the clear financial benefits the proposals will deliver, Modern Surf Manchester will also provide significant health and wellbeing benefits locally.
“It is well known that water-based sports can have a huge positive impact on physical and mental wellbeing, so I am looking forward to opening more opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to get involved in surfing.”
The site is currently owned and managed by Peel L&P and TraffordCity is regarded as the UK’s foremost retail, leisure and commercial destination encompassing the Trafford Centre and its surrounding 3.5 million square feet of retail, leisure and office space.
James Whittaker, executive development director for Peel L&P, said: “We’re passionate about investing and developing TraffordCity for the local community and beyond.
“Our vision is to be the UK’s number one destination for retail, leisure and business in a sustainable environment where over the last 25 years we have created over 17,500 jobs and invested over £1.6bn.
“We’re pleased to be working in partnership with McKinney Group on the plans for Modern Surf Manchester, which will bring something unique to the already strong leisure offering.
“Alongside Therme Manchester, Modern Surf Manchester will be another fantastic leisure attraction to TraffordCity that will complement all the surrounding businesses.”
Consultation on the proposals is set to begin next year before a planning application is submitted to Trafford Council.
