It has been a while in the planning and Wavegarden Scotland has now been given official permission by The City of Edinburgh Council to proceed with the country’s first artificial surf park.
It will be constructed on the site of the former Craigpark Quarry near Ratho, using new wave technology developed by Wavegarden in Spain. This same company developed Surf Snowdonia which attracted 155,000 visitors last year.
The planning process took time as there was a need for public consultation which was largely positive, and this attraction is well-placed for transport links.
There will be a surf school, self-catering luxury lodges, glamping pods, café and restaurant, zip line and facilities for other activities.
Andy Hadden, the co-founder of Tartan Leisure Ltd which is developing Wavegarden Scotland said: “We are thrilled that the plans for Wavegarden Scotland have been approved. We believe that this facility will deliver many benefits for the local community and for Scotland by offering world-class adventure leisure amenities alongside a wonderful country park, for walkers, runners and cyclists to enjoy. Alongside this, we expect to create up to 130 jobs and generate up to £11m for the local economy every year.
“Another very exciting aspect of Wavegarden Scotland is the opportunity to nurture surfing and sporting talent. With Scotland’s own surfing team starting to make a mark on the global surf scene, we hope to inspire the next generation of surfers, life guards, and active outdoor enthusiasts.”
Using recently released, state-of-the-art wave generation technology called The Cove, Wavegarden Scotland will be among the most advanced surfing and water sport facilities in the world, with the capability to enable elite-level sports training and development.
Mark Boyd, captain of Scotland’s national surfing team, said: “We welcome Wavegarden Scotland’s visionary project and look forward to practising our sport in safe and consistent waves. Having this facility will give the Scottish surfing team a huge edge when it comes to future competitions, to have this as a base will do wonders for the sport.
“Scotland’s surf scene is growing and we have some exciting home grown talent breaking onto the scene. With surfing making its debut as an Olympic Sport at Tokyo 2020, Wavegarden Scotland will play a key role in encouraging and developing future Scottish surfers and putting this fantastic sport in the spotlight.”
Christine Jardine, MP for Edinburgh West, said: “As the local MP for Ratho, I am delighted the village could play host to Scotland’s first surfing lagoon. This will be a great attraction West of the city creating up to 130 new jobs. It will be a fantastic facility for locals and tourists alike.
“Surfing is becoming increasingly popular and in 2020, it will be an Olympic event for the first time. Approving the surfing centre now ensures we, in Edinburgh West, will be able to make the most of the enthusiasm.”
Josema Odriozola, founder and CEO of Wavegarden, the company which created the wave generation technology that will power Wavegarden Scotland, said: “It’s great to see that the planning application has been approved, so now Edinburgh will have its own surf spot for everyone to enjoy. We designed our technology to create up to 1000 waves per hour, from slow moving white water for beginners through to powerful barrels up to two metres high for experts. This now means Scottish locals and tourists alike can experience the exhilarating feeling of surfing, regardless of their level.”
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
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