An artificial beach complete with palm trees, boardwalks and rentable fire-pits and barbecues along with the world's first outdoor artificial surfing machine will soon be rising on the Thames as Tower Hamlets sets to lure surfers.

Beginning 2011, instead of driving to Devon and Cornwall, surfers will be treated to six-foot swells to a disused dock in east London.

This, after the $39 million Venture Xtreme project at Silvertown Quays secured outline planning permission,

Steve Jones, the brain behind the project, said that once completed, surfers would be charged $59 for an hour's session which would benefit them at least 10 waves per rider, each rolling more than 100 meters as the swell spreads from the dock to the wide beach.

Jones said the building work will begin sometime this year.