A ‘world-class’ £60m surfing lagoon could be coming to the Trafford Centre

A huge £60 million surfing lagoon could potentially be on its way to Manchester.

Ordinarily, the words ‘Manchester’ and ‘surfing lagoon’ would merely be a pipe-dream among constant rain clouds, but a recent proposal made by Belfast-based property developer McKinney Group could very well make it a reality.

The £60 million scheme will be located on Peel L&P’s brownfield site in Trafford Park, and will be the first inland surfing facility to open in the North West.

 If approved by the council, it is estimated to be open by 2023.

Peel L&P

The aim is for the wave garden to be accessible for all ages and abilities – there will also be a cafe, restaurant terrace, pop-up beach bars, a surf shop, a bouldering space and a fitness zone on site.

The proposals are expected by developers and sponsors to draw more than 350,000 new visitors to the area, create 240 permanent jobs (with a further sixty  during its construction) and could generate around £18m per year for the local economy.

Powered by Wavegarden, a man-made, wave-generating technology firm, they say the proposed surfing complex will create consistent waves, perfect for beginners, learners and professionals to test their skills on the waves.

Peel L&P

Billy McKinney, managing director at McKinney Group, said: “We are really excited to have submitted our plans to Trafford council, off the back of months of discussions with the local community, stakeholders and planning officers and, of course, our online consultation at the start of the year.

“We want to thank everyone who got involved with our consultation and let us know what they thought of our plans to deliver the North West’s first inland surfing facility, and we are delighted that over 85% of all feedback received expressed support for our proposals.

“TraffordCity already has a huge and growing leisure offer and we are looking forward to bringing something new to the area that is thrilling, interactive and accessible to be enjoyed by surfers of all abilities.”