The Wave (company)
The Wave is a company and surf/lifestyle brand building an artificial wave pool for surfing, in South Gloucestershire, England, on the northern outskirts of Bristol and London. The Wave: Bristol is planned to open in 2018/9 and The Wave: London in 2020.
History
The founder of the project is Nick Hounsfield.[1] The project was named "The Wave: Bristol" in 2012, initially focussing on a site next to the Portway in Bristol, but rejected it as not big enough.[2] A 70-acre (28 ha) site on farmland at Easter Compton was selected in 2013, with the technology generating the artificial waves to be supplied by the Spanish company Wavegarden.[1]
In August 2017, South Gloucestershire Council approved the £20 million scheme, which is designed for sustainability.[3] The Olympic medallist Jenny Jones spoke in support of the project at the planning meeting, citing the social benefits of engaging all ages in the activities at the park. Besides the wave pool, the scheme will include a natural swimming lake, barefoot trails, foraging areas and gardens of various types - activity, sensory, healing, culinary and herb gardens.[4] Other proposed features include a clubhouse, a surf shop, a ropes and tunnels course and a campsite. The planned dimensions of the pool are 300 metres (980 ft) long by 100 metres (330 ft) wide and 1.5 metres (4 ft 11 in) deep.[5]
In June 2015 it was decided to use the American company Wave Loch's wave generation technology instead of Wavegarden's, requiring the opening date to be put back to 2016.[6] However, as of May 2017, it seems they have reverted to the Wavegarden's technology.
The Wave plans to host a High-Performance Surfing Centre and surf contests.[7]
In April 2016, The Wave announced that South Gloucestershire Council had approved the revised designs.[8] With the switch back to Wavegarden, the planning permission was resubmitted which was approved in late August 2017.
See also
References
- ^ a b "Bristol confirms artificial wave pool site". SurferToday.com. 11 June 2013. Retrieved 3 August 2015.
- ^ "Bristol's artificial wave park seeks larger site". SurferToday.com. 19 November 2012. Retrieved 3 August 2015.
- ^ "The Wave: Bristol has been approved". SurferToday.com. 19 June 2014. Retrieved 3 August 2015.
- ^ "Plans for £6m Bristol surfing lake approved by planners". BBC News. 19 June 2014. Retrieved 3 August 2015.
- ^ "Surf's up in an unlikely place – a Gloucestershire field". The Guardian. 20 June 2014. Retrieved 3 August 2015.
- ^ "The Wave Bristol signs technology deal". insidermedia.com. 4 June 2015. Retrieved 3 August 2015.
- ^ "The Wave Bristol promises a better surfing experience with Wave Loch". SurferToday.com. 5 June 2015. Retrieved 3 August 2015.
- ^ Ribbeck, M. (27 April 2016). "Bristol's man-made surfing lake is hit by a further set of delays". Bristol Post. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
External links
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