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Inland surfing facility planned for Isle of Wight
Plans to create a new inland surfing facility on the Isle of Wight have been unveiled by the team behind The Wave: Bristol.
Colliers International said that it is in discussions regarding building The Wave:IOW, which would bring together surfing, nature and education.
At the centre of the plans is a lake in which water technology would generate waves of up to 1.6m high, at a rate of 120 waves per hour.
The experience is suited to both experienced and first time surfers and the lake would be surrounded by botanical and healing gardens.
Following a market review carried out by Colliers International, the group were approached by Wightlink and the Isle of Wight Council about the possibility of creating a site on the island.
Both organisations have provided some initial funding to help establish the viability of the scheme.
Co-founder of The Wave, Tobin Coles, said: "We were already planning to build another 'Wave' elsewhere in the UK and were keen to look at locations on the south coast.
"The Isle of Wight is a great fit for The Wave - it is rural, has a resident surfing community but also attracts a good influx of tourists every year. We are in discussions with a number of key organisations, such as the Council and Wightlink, regarding the project but can now confirm that it is definitely our intention to create The Wave:IOW."