Massive water attraction aims to be splash hit
CGI of how the new Southport Cove surf resort could look
OPEN-AIR swimming will return to Southport under ambitious plans to create a world-class water attraction on the seafront.
Sefton Council has revealed plans to build a 250m-long beach surrounding a huge surf wave pool as part of the £40m Southport Cove Resort project.
The new attraction will be open all year-round and its designers say it will boast the “next generation” of surf pool technology to create two metre high waves for accomplished surfers and 0.5m for those who prefer ‘fun’ waves.
Creating 120 jobs, Southport Cove will also boast water-based wellness and spa facilities, 4-star accommodation, restaurant, cafés, and indoor leisure facilities.
The new beach will be coupled with a 360-degree boardwalk and planted gardens to attract nonwater users to the pool’s surrounding landscape.
The council has entered into an exclusivity agreement with Go Surf to create Southport Cove Resort.
Cllr Marion Atkinson, cabinet member for regeneration and skills, said: “Many people will remember that in 1989 the much-loved openair swimming bath on the seafront next to Princes Park closed its doors to the public for the very last time.
“When we were doing the consultation around the Southport Town Deal it was clear that many people still had memories of the Lido in Southport. This project will, in many ways, bring back a viable facility with all year-round broad visitor appeal, and strike a balance between the memory of this wellloved former attraction and a new, modern, family-oriented offer that will be unique to the region.”
Southport’s first bathing pool first opened in 1914 and a new and improved design on Princes Park was opened by the Earl of Derby on May 17, 1928.
It was 330ft long and 212ft wide, cost £70,000 to build and could seat more than 2,500 spectators.
The shape resembled a Roman amphitheatre, with a cafe covered by a glazed dome roof. A 230ft by 12ft covered arcade ran around the sea-facing side of the lake.
It was filled with filtered seawater
Bathers at Southport’s lido in June 1918 by a pumping system, which was upgraded in the 1960s at a cost of £35,000.
In 1969 Black Sabbath, headed by Ozzy Osbourne, played to huge crowds from a platform in the middle of the pool.
By the early 1980s, Sefton Council was losing around £40,000 a year on the pool and it was leased out to a private operator for the next four years. Other ventures on the site failed and it closed in 1989, fell into dereliction and was demolished in 1993.
The site of the original 1914 bathing pool was redeveloped as Peter Pan’s Playground and Pool and later became Ocean Plaza.
Creating up to 120 new jobs and bringing more than £20m per annum to the local economy with an expected 150,000 client visits a year, Southport Cove is designed to complement other exciting opportunities emerging in the town, as part of the Southport Town Deal and beyond.
The council says that the £40m project aligns well with its vision for Southport’s visitor economy, increasing the number of reasons to visit and to stay, all year round.
The founders of Go Surf said: “Southport’s location and existing facilities lend themselves perfectly to the town becoming a true haven for water sports, indoor and outdoor attractions, and wellness. The town benefits greatly from the successful integration of its town centre, marine lake and seafront.
“We’re taking a world-class surf pool and building a resort around it that’s far more than just a place for catching waves, something that all visitors and members can enjoy on any given day of the year.
“Our aim is to create a perfect environment where people meet with friends and family, be it to lounge on the beach or in the gardens, catch some waves, relax in the spa, or just grab a coffee and a bite to eat.
“It’s a real privilege to have this opportunity to do something great for our hometown, we are thrilled to be bringing our unique brand of water-based sport to Southport.”