In what is quite possibly the most unlikely of additions to Trafford, the area around the Trafford Centre is set to get a massive new Surfing Lagoon, courtesy of Irish developer McKinney Group.
‘Modern Wave’ is set to be the North West’s first inland man-made surf complex and features a HUGE lagoon that’s powered by Wavegarden, a company that specialises in wave-generating technology.
In addition, the site will also feature bars, restaurants other interactive attractions on site including a fitness zone, skateboarding halfpipe, bouldering facility and more.
It all sounds rather surreal but the project took one huge leap forward last week as Trafford Council approved the plans for the £60m development that’s set to transform the 15-acre brownfield site just off Barton Dock Road.
The project isn’t the only random leisure facility coming to the area over the next 5 years, with the recent approval of ‘Therme’ a £250m resort; a two-acre well being garden and a large family zone with a wave pool, water slides, indoor and outdoor pools and steam rooms, which is all expected to attract up to two million visitors per year.
It looks like Trafford is set to become bigger and better than Disneyland in the coming years – and I’m all for it. It makes me extremely happy that I bought a house in Stretford this year.
But also, away from these selfish musings, these developments can only be seen as fantastic news for Manchester, bringing in millions of visitors from across the UK (and beyond) every year, as well as creating thousands of jobs in the area.
