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Source: ONE News
The performance of a three million pound ($NZ6.2m) New Zealand-built artificial surf reef at a British tourist beach has been sub-standard, according to Bournemouth Borough Council.
Experts at Plymouth University assessed the quality of waves enhanced by the underwater creation over six months, and found the reef achieved only four of its 11 objectives, the BBC reported.
The council said it would withhold a 150,000 pound payment from its New Zealand builders, ASR Ltd, until it was satisfied it worked.
ASR designed similar reefs at Mount Maunganui, Opunake in Taranaki, and at Narrowneck, Australia.
Plymouth University has been assessing the quality of the reef's waves and the number of days suitable for surfing since last September and monitored the shape and power of the breaking waves.
Mark Davidson, from the Plymouth team, told the BBC: " The reef does fall short in a number of ways - in particular the ride length is a little too short.
"The wave length is rather too intense and challenging and it is not quite as consistent as it should be."
The artificial reef opened in November after a delay of more than a year and at nearly double the proposed cost.
There had been mixed response from surfers to the reef, built with 55 sand-filled "geotextile bags" which are 225m out to sea, the BBC said.
It was part of part of an 11 million pound project to improve the tourist area of Boscombe, in an attempt to improve its rundown image and attract a new crowd of visitors.
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