BOURNEMOUTH, once best known as a retirement town, aims to become the new surf capital of Britain with the construction of an artificial reef capable of producing 16ft Hawaiian-style breakers.

The 1,600ft reef will be built about a quarter of a mile offshore and could be the first in a series along the south coast. It is designed to amplify the waves that roll onto the area’s beaches by 2½ times, giving surfers a better and longer ride.

A complex of Californian-style surfing chalets is also to be built on the town’s seafront as part of the multi-million-pound regeneration project agreed by the local council.

Bournemouth, which has developed a booming student population and a vibrant nightlife, was recently tipped as “the next coolest city on the planet” by Harpers & Queen magazine.

Town planners hope the reef will allow local businesses to cash in on the boom in British surfing, which is estimated to be worth £200m a year.

The decision to build the reef, which is scheduled for completion by the end of next year, is a setback for Newquay. The Cornish resort is currently the top surfing resort in the UK, but was forced to abandon its own plans for an artificial reef after protests from fishermen.

Bournemouth believes its artificial reef will create the best surfing waves in the country. Roger Brown, head of leisure services at the council, said: “Surfers will enjoy consistent 6ft waves from autumn to spring. In the summer, bathers will enjoy a lagoon effect from the reef.”

Surfing has become one of the most popular sports in Britain with an estimated 250,000 participants.

Bournemouth is popular with surfers, but is not as exposed to waves rolling across the Atlantic as resorts on the west coast. It relies on waves generated in the Bay of Biscay.

Planners say the reef — comprised of hundreds of sunken sandbags — will double the number of surfing days in Bournemouth each year.

It is based on the design of artificial reefs built on the Gold Coast of Australia. It is expected to regularly create waves that are 5ft-6ft high, reaching up to 16ft after big storms in the Bay of Biscay.

If it proves successful, other reefs could be added along the Bournemouth coast.

The move is likely to be a welcome boon for thirtysomething London professionals who often drive five hours to Newquay only to find disappointing waves. Tom Masters, a management consultant from London, said: “Bournemouth is much closer and if they can guarantee good surf many people will go there instead.”

The plan for the reef has been approved by Bournemouth’s borough cabinet. Further approval from the full council and the Crown Estate, which controls Britain’s seabed, is expected soon.

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