Wake boarding plan given green light

Despite objections, plans for watersports at City Quay have been given go ahead

Plans for a watersports centre in Dundee’s City Quay have been approved, despite opposition from local businesses.

Foxlake Adventures, the company behind the project, is aiming to open the wake boarding centre this summer.

The Dunbar-based outdoor activity company hope to offer wake boarding lessons and group experiences and several ancillary outdoor activities.

However, the plans had attracted criticism, including from the nearby Apex Hotel, which submitted a formal objection to the proposals.

The hotel’s general manager, Brett Davidge, said the centre would “destroy the uninterrupted Quayside views our guests enjoy so much”.

In its report to Dundee City Council, Foxlake admits the site layout will have “some impact” on the bar/dining experience at the Apex, but said “every effort has been made to maximise the remaining views available from the bar and restaurant”.

It added: “The bar and a large section of the main restaurant maintains a view over the dock. It is suggested that the activity being delivered will prove attractive as a spectator attraction to Apex customers.”

The application was formally lodged by Dundee City Council itself, with Foxlake being a tenant.

Callum Mark, one of the directors of Foxlake, said: “I’m absolutely delighted.

“The process has taken a year-and-ahalf to two years so it’s great to be at this stage. We are hoping to open for this summer. We don’t have a date yet but are aiming for the summer holidays or thereabouts. Our focus at the moment is the wake boarding and pushing participation for that for females and young people in Dundee.”

The Victoria Docks base will include support accommodation, a harbour gangway, west harbour access pontoons and two wake board tows.

The activity is spectator-orientated and it is thought it will attract large crowds for competition events.

Wake boarding is a surface sport in which the participant rides a small board over the water.

The board itself is small, thin and mostly rectangular, with very little displacement and shoe-like bindings mounted to it.

It was developed from a combination of waterskiing, snowboarding, and surfing techniques.

Foxlake currently offers the sport at an East Lothian base, and plans to bring further activities to its new Dundee centre, including a rope-themed adventure course across the water.

The plans have been met warmly on social media, with one person posting: “Brilliant news guys, finally gonna make use of an underused facility/part of the city and by a company that knows what it’s doing.”

The process has taken a year-and-ahalf to two years so it’s great to be at this stage. We are hopingto open for this summer. We don’t have a date yet but are aiming for the summer holidays or thereabouts. CALLUM MARK

The focus of the project initially will be wake boarding.