Surf London
£60m surfing destination planned for Lee Valley Leisure Complex
Lee Valley Regional Park Authority is working with inland surfing specialists, Crest Experiences Ltd, formerly known as The Wave London Ltd, on plans to bring a world class inland surfing destination to Lee Valley Leisure Complex in Enfield, north London.
Enfield Council’s Planning Committee approved the application by Crest Experiences on Tuesday 16 September that could transform around 100 acres of land adjacent to Lee Valley Athletics Centre in Edmonton, bringing both visitors and jobs to the area.
The development is proposed on Green Belt land so the plan will now be considered by the Greater London Authority (GLA).
The vision for the £60m state-of-the-art facility, called Surf London, is to create an oasis of sport, health and wellbeing and leisure activities in a biodiverse parkland setting.
In February 2025 the team behind the project signed an agreement with wave-making technology provider, Endless Surf.
If you would like to know more about Crest Experiences’ proposal for Surf London, you can visit the Surf London website.
About the site
Lee Valley Leisure Complex is home to Lee Valley Athletics Centre, which opened in 2007, the refurbished 12 screen Odeon Luxe Lee Valley and a wedding and events venue, Lee Valley Golf Course and Lee Valley Camping and Caravan Park, Edmonton. The site is designated as Green Belt and has been used for leisure since the 1970s.
About the plans
If the plan gets the final go ahead from the GLA, Surf London will provide a stunning new purpose-built 200m wide surfing lake offering waves for everyone to enjoy, plus additional sport and wellbeing activities, a restaurant, café, unique event spaces and accommodation set in biodiverse green space.
The existing lake in the north of the Lee Valley Leisure Complex will not be affected by Surf London. Within the project plans it is aimed to enhance biodiversity and open up this wonderful area of nature and green space to the public. The proposed plans also consider a golfing experience as part of the offer and the campsite would be reimagined as part of the development. Activities at the world-class Lee Valley Athletics Centre, Odeon Luxe Lee Valley and the wedding venue would continue as normal.
Shaun Dawson, Chief Executive of Lee Valley Regional Park Authority, said:
“We are delighted that Surf London’s plans for our site in Edmonton are progressing. Lee Valley Leisure Complex has a history of breaking new ground in sport and leisure – from being the home of what was once Europe’s largest leisure centre to today’s hugely popular Lee Valley Athletics Centre
“If approved by the GLA, this will be a great addition to the sport and leisure opportunities on offer across the 26-mile-long Lee Valley Regional Park and make surfing accessible for millions of people.
“We strive to provide opportunities that attract people from across London, Essex, Hertfordshire and beyond to enjoy Lee Valley Regional Park, and we feel Surf London has the potential to be a truly outstanding new leisure attraction.”
The facility will allow people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities to have a go at surfing, whether it’s a child stepping on a board for the first time, or a pro-surfer training for the Olympics. Surfing is a rapidly growing sport which has seen a boost in popularity following its inclusion in the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympics. Accessibility to the sport has been held back by geographical limitations, weather conditions, swell conditions, wind, tide and daylight hours. Surf London will overcome all of these issues, using technology to create perfect conditions, with up to 1,000 quality waves per hour and heights starting at 50cm and peaking at almost 2m. The development would sit on 56 acres of the site.
Speaking about the Surf London project, Hazel Geary, CEO of Crest Experiences said:
“We’re incredibly grateful to the London Borough of Enfield for their support. We recognise that this is not final approval, and we’ll continue to work closely with the authorities to complete the application. This is a big milestone for Surf London, and we’re really excited to continue to progress the detailed planning so we are in a position to start construction next year.
“London is one of the world’s most dynamic and influential cities. With its diverse population, strong sports culture, and high volume of visitors, it is the perfect location for an inland surfing experience. We can’t wait to bring the many physical and mental health benefits of surfing inland, to an urban environment and to those who can’t easily access the coast.
“This site is in many ways a hidden oasis. We want to increase biodiversity, enhance the green space, help people access it and encourage everyone to get outside in nature.”
Updated: September 2025
This page will be updated with further information as we have it.