Waterside regeneration specialists Peel Waters have announced the team behind the Lost Shore Surf Resort in Edinburgh, Tartan Leisure, have been brought on board to deliver the new surf park for TraffordCity, Manchester. 

Planning for the inland surf destination was approved in 2021. Once completed, it is estimated to create up to 140 new full-time jobs during peak times. The £75m development will be the first wave pool in the North of England and will use Wavegarden Cove technology.

The new surfing destination will further enhance TraffordCity’s expanding portfolio of sport-based leisure and experience offerings, which already includes skiing, snowboarding, rock climbing, skydiving as well as being the home of Trafford Golf, which is one of Europe’s premiere golf practice facilities. 

The company staed that visitors to the surf park will benefit from its highly accessible location which is within walking distance of both bus and tram stops. Nearby to the wave pool site are the experience centre at Trafford Palazzo and the future site of the Therme Manchester site, which will be the UK’s first city-based wellbeing resort. 

“There has been an enormous rise in popularity for surfing over recent years with proven benefits to our overall health and wellness,” said Andy Hadden, Founder of Tartan Leisure, the team behind the Lost Shore Surf Resort said. “The Lost Shore Surf Resort in Edinburgh is on track to open next September and the response and appetite that we have seen from the public has been phenomenal.”

Andy added that they are excited to work in partnership with Peel Waters to support the development of the inland surfing facility which will be an exciting addition the area. 

James Whittaker, Executive Director, at Peel Waters said they brought on the Tartan Leisure team to deliver on thier ambition of bringing surfing to TraffordCity. 

“TraffordCity is widely recognised as the leading retail and leisure destination in the country,” said James. “And the addition of the new surfing destination will further complement the surrounding businesses and other experience-based leisure attractions we have here. We are excited to bring another iconic attraction to the region which will further enhance the local economy and tourism as well as creating a pipeline of new jobs and hopefully inspire a new generation of surfers from the city!” 

The company said the popularity for surfing is at an all-time high, with the take-up of the sport doubling every two years since 2016 and received a huge boost with inclusion in the 2020 Olympics.

Manchester based professional coach, Alan Bisseker, who has worked with Olympic and professional organisations, including GB Surfing, said he’s excited at the prospect of surf in Manchester.

“This will be a game changer, not just for the sizeable community of landlocked surfers in the area, but also for the thousands of people who can now try this incredible sport for the first time in a controlled environment,” said Alan. “There are few sports that give you as many health and fitness benefits as surfing. This combined with the significant positive impact on mental health and wellness is undeniable and well-documented.”

The estimated build time of the surf destination will be approximately two years once the team start on the site.