the West London practice has delivered documents to Trafford Council for the £ 50million Modern Surf Manchester program as part of the development of Peel-owned Trafford City.

Supported by the Belfast developer McKinney Group, and using the technology of the global specialist Wave garden, the project would see a cluster of small buildings created around a heart-shaped water sports lake.

Leslie Jones said his designs aimed to “merge surfing culture with the industrial past of the Trafford City area” and would incorporate skating, bouldering and other activities.

Practice director Nick Strachan told AJ the timing of the program was “perfect.” “It really excites us that with the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, rescheduled this summer, being the first year that surfing is an Olympic sport, we are developing a legacy for Trafford that could one day produce a future Olympic champion,” a- he declared.

Strachan added that the lake will become a huge swimming pool when its surf technology is turned off, providing physical and mental health benefits to the community.

“There is strong, peer-reviewed evidence to support the positive effect that swimming or water exercise may contribute to the treatment of conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder and depression,” he said . “After Covid, such facilities will become very valuable additions to the health services that local authorities are already providing.”

The site of the proposed site is an industrial land of 5 ha formerly used as a container store.

Leslie Jones said her buildings – housing a surf rack, academy and café with panoramic terraces – would adopt an “industrial jagged roof aesthetic” derived from local industrial buildings.

The designs also include collaborations with street art works and a landscaped public realm.

No date has been set for a decision on the request.