Wavegarden Scotland hopes to redevelop Craigpark Quarry near Ratho into a word-class surf and leisure facility offering a variety of water sports on its man-made loch.

Located beside the Edinburgh International Climbing Arena, Wavegarden Scotland’s proposal also includes self-catering luxury lodges, glamping pods, a waterfront café and restaurant, retail spaces, zip line, water tubing area, snow-sports area, and a car park.

The 23 hectare wave park has been masterplanned and designed by landscape architects HarrisonStevens, with engineering and technical consultation provided by WSP, and planning and development advice by Colliers International.

Wavegarden Scotland held two public consultations in February where over 260 people attended with more taking part online and via the company’s social media channels.

In an unprecedented scenario for a major application, zero objections were raised.

Andy Hadden, co-founder of Wavegarden Scotland, said: “We’re cautiously optimistic that our years of research, consultation and planning will pay off. We believe our facility will enhance Ratho as an international destination for adventure sports, and we’re delighted that we have the chance to deliver the project in a brownfield site within an old quarry.”

Wavegarden Scotland will be an ecologically responsible and diverse space for the surrounding communities and visiting public, with a large country park for walkers, runners and cyclists to enjoy. The proposal details how the former quarry site has guided the design, with extensive re-use of onsite materials and stone to capitalise on the natural character of the site, while carefully considered plant and landscaping choices will help restore the area’s original ecology which was lost during the former quarry’s operations.

The overall design will develop existing integrated transportation and leisure links, including with the nearby canal network, into the heart of Edinburgh as well as the wider central belt.

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.

Scott Brewster, co-founder of Wavegarden Scotland, said: “We are hopeful we’ll be able to open the doors to these world-class waves in the near future. The high-performance offering of our facility will cater for a number of different sports and we hope that Wavegarden Scotland will help future generations of water sportsmen and women take their skills to the next level.”

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