The Wave Announce Plans To Open Man Made Wave in London

The Wave have announced they are planning to open a man made surfing lake in North London powered by Wavegarden Cove technology, which creates up to 1,000 quality waves per hour. The site in Edmonton (North London) will run adjacent to the Lee Valley Aethletics Centre and The Wave expect the site to be open in Autumn 2019.

The Wave London

Press Release: We are extremely excited to announce that we are partnering with Lee Valley Regional Park Authority to develop a planning application for a world-class surfing destination in London. The Wave London, would reinvigorate land adjacent to the Lee Valley Athletics Centre in Edmonton, North London, and encourage more people to get outside in nature and get active.

The £40m project would enhance around 100 acres of land in Lee Valley Regional Park and could make London the first capital city in the world to offer an inland surfing destination.

As with The Wave Bristol, the site would allow people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities to have a go at surfing, whether it’s a child stepping on a board for the first time, or a pro-surfer training for the Olympics. At the heart of the project will be the surfing lake powered by Wavegarden Cove technology, which creates up to 1,000 quality waves per hour.

The project is at an early stage and a programme of consultation with local communities and interested organisations will take place alongside extensive, detailed site analysis – and subject to the results of this, a planning application will be submitted.

We are currently full steam ahead building The Wave Bristol and can’t wait to open our doors there next autumn. In parallel we will be developing plans for London, working with Lee Valley Regional Park Authority and speaking to local people to make sure our project meets their needs.

Surfing is an incredible sport, which has proven health benefits – both physically and mentally. The Wave London would give people the chance to try surfing and experience these benefits in an urban environment. We want to create a space where people can have an amazing time by connecting with nature, each other and themselves.

Shaun Dawson, Chief Executive of Lee Valley Regional Park Authority, is as excited about the project as we are. He said: “The Wave London would complement our existing world class sports venues up and down the 26-mile-long Regional Park, including our three hugely popular London 2012 legacy venues providing the best cycling, white water, hockey and tennis opportunities to be found anywhere.

“Lee Valley Leisure Complex was once a sewage works and rubbish dumps. A generation ago we built what was then Europe’s largest leisure centre. Now we hope to bring inland surfing here to create an outstanding new leisure destination for the capital and the region. This marks another exciting chapter in the history of the Lee Valley.”

The Wave London

It’s a massive moment for us here at The Wave – we have teams of diggers and trucks on site. The earthworks team has rolled in and is working hard to build the ground levels, create access and put in services ready for the main construction phase. The project is rapidly becoming a very exciting reality and we are on schedule to open in our doors in Autumn 2019!

We have had a busy 3 months preparing the site. We have carried out extensive and detailed archaeological work, which unearthed some interesting Roman artefacts, including coins, pottery and a variety of ancient relics. These have been logged, preserved and later we hope to display what we have found on site. We have also taken the time to very carefully remove the nutrient rich topsoil and store it carefully so that it can be reused later on, ensuring we get the best growing conditions for our seeding and planting.

Alongside the physical work taking place, the team has been developing a wide range of elements, from food and drink and camping accommodation, to surfboard hire, wetsuits and interior design. It’s all coming together and we can’t wait to share a sneak preview of some of these things with you over the coming months.

In the meantime, we would love your input to help us shape The Wave. We want to give everyone an amazing experience, all year round, in a space where they feel they belong. Be part of our journey, tell us what you’d like The Wave to be by taking our survey. In return for your time, we’ll enter you into a prize draw to win one of five vouchers worth £50. To your favourite store.