First image released of £75 million Trafford surf park amid two-year delay

A specialist team has taken over the project, which has been delayed by two years, to deliver the £75 million inland surf park at TraffordCity.

Tartan Leisure – the organisation behind the soon-to-be-complete Lost Shore Surf Resort in Edinburgh – have announced they will take over the construction of the water park from the McKinney Group.

It will be the first inland surf attraction in the North of England and is set to be a ‘must see’ for surf enthusiasts, according to waterside regeneration specialist Peel Waters, which is overseeing the huge development.

The attraction will use inland surfing technology, ‘Powered by Wavegarden’, the world leader in man-made wave-generating technologies.

The project is to be known as ‘Modern Surf Manchester’ and will see perfect waves for beginners, learners and professionals alike to test their skills.

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.

Planning permission was approved for the new surf destination’s plans back in 2021. Once completed, the attraction is said to create up to 140 new full-time jobs.

Peel says the surf park will ‘further enhance TraffordCity’s expanding portfolio of sport-based leisure and experience offerings’– which includes skiing, snowboarding, skydiving, rock climbing and golf.

Tartan Leisure founder, Andy Hadden, said: “There has been an enormous rise in popularity for surfing over recent years with proven benefits to our overall health and wellness.

“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.

“Now, we are excited to work in partnership with Peel Waters and bring over a decade of our knowledge and expertise to support the development of an inland surfing facility to TraffordCity.

“This will be a very exciting addition to an already incredible combined retail and experienced-based leisure destination for all to enjoy.”

The estimated time of the build will take approximately two years once the team start work on site.