The Venture Xtreme surf centre proposals will spectacularly animate a large part of the former pontoon docks, bringing the water to life in an exciting and dynamic way sitting alongside markets, specialist sports shops, waterside restaurants and cafes.

Silvertown Quays Venture Xtreme complex will be built in two stages, the first being the outdoor facilities and surf centre followed by the indoor adventure centre.

The surf pool forms the centre of this outdoor experience, built into the existing dock. A series of 'extreme' structures and facilities draw upon the character of the rich industrial past to create iconic forms and public spaces. A giant 9m high wave tank doubles as a climbing wall and TV screen. Adjustable 'crane' lighting rigs illuminate the surf pool and the 'silver sand' beach. A beach bar, floating bistro, sports shops, and the indoor Venture Xtreme centre complete this unique urban sports experience.

The Silvertown surf centre will be a world first; a totally unique facility offering perfect surf waves 365 days a year. The finger docks in front and to the left of Biota! will be opened up to create the UK's first artificial surf experience. A specially designed enclosure, holding almost 7,000 cubic metres of clean, filtered and heated water forms the basis of this unique environment. Waves up to 1.8m high will roll 100 metres down the dock, before breaking on London's first 'silver sand' beach in front of Biota! and a major public space known as the 'Esplanade'.

The centre is expected to attract 100,000 surfers and body-boarders a year along with five times as many spectators. Waves of all shapes and sizes can be created for all levels of ability from total novice to professional surfer.

The perfect white sand beach will be 100m wide and up to 25m from front to back, giving enough space for over 200 swimmers, sunbathers and surfers. In the evenings it will be possible to rent fire pits for larger groups and barbeque areas as well as to just chill out on the beach with a drink from the bar. Beach bars, hammocks, palm trees and board walks all add to the atmosphere.

Surfing will operate through the summer, flood lit in the evenings to create a fantastic viewing spectacle. The waves will be over looked by spectators on the beach and in bars and restaurants wrapped around the arena.

A themed rock effect climbing wall, of 24m wide, 9 m deep and up to 12 m high, will be the largest outdoor wall in the country and offer over 50 climbing routes. On the front elevation, facing the beach and boardwalk will be a giant LED screen of over 100 square metres.

In the second phase of the Silvertown development, the lower floors of the major dockside site, immediately to the East of the aquarium, will house London's first extreme sports complex, complimenting the surf centre in the dock and providing year round adventure facilities for the local residents, Londoners and those further a field.

- an indoor wave rider (great fun for all, but it also allows surfers to learn or train before going out into the main pool), - a climbing wall, complimenting the outdoor facility,
- a scuba dive tank,
- ropes course,
- ice climbing wall,
- children's snow room
- ice bar

Notes to Editors:
Venture Xtreme: Venture Xtreme Ltd is headed by Managing Director and founder Steve Jones, backed by fellow Directors David Taylor and Neil Pickering. Venture Xtreme Ltd will bring forward projects from conception and initial feasibility through to design, development and operation and it comprises a strong mix of sports, commercial, property and funding expertise.

Steve Jones, Managing Director, Venture Xtreme: Steve is an entrepreneur and extreme sports enthusiast, and he is the founder and vision behind the Venture Xtreme concept. Steve has worked in the world of adventure sport for over 25 years, starting as an outdoor pursuits instructor and working his way up to Managing Director of Entre-Prises Climbing Walls, which he took from being a new start-up company to becoming the second biggest extreme sports manufacturer in the world. Initially specialising in climbing walls, the company diversified under Steve's leadership to build the world's first artificial cave systems, the first indoor ice climbing structures and the first indoor ropes courses with climbing walls. Steve has gained practical experience in managing every area of business development and subsequently has been instrumental in the preparation of numerous business plans for extreme sports projects.

Silvertown Quays:
The transformation of Silvertown Quays is now set, the £1.5 billion development received the green light from the London Borough of Newham in May 2007 following the confirmation of planning approval and the completion of legal and funding agreements by developer Silvertown Quays Ltd (SQL).

The developers have secured a £119m deal with the Bank of Scotland Corporate, part of HBOS plc, for the regeneration of Silvertown Quays in the Royal Victoria Docks area of East London. The loan facility will finance the development of Silvertown Quays which is one of Europe's largest regeneration projects providing new homes, offices, workspace, retail, leisure, entertainment and community facilities.

London's premier waterside regeneration development will include 5,000 new homes (including over 1,300 affordable units), 7,800 sq m of office space, 7,600 sq m of flexible workspace, 8,000 sq m of community facilities, 5,570 sq m of restaurants and bars and 18,925 sq m of leisure facilities that will include the world-class aquarium Biota!, being developed by KUD International with the Zoological Society of London (ZSL).

Following the completion of the legal agreements the London Borough of Newham has granted planning permission for the 60 acre site to be transformed into a major mixed use scheme of 494,020 sq m (5.3m sq ft).

Development will commence with the refurbishment of the Millennium Mills which will be converted into apartments and Biota! The overall project will proceed in phases over the next 10 years and will also include the refurbishment of listed grain building Silo D.

The agreement between the London Borough of Newham and Silvertown Quays Limited (SQL), KUD International and landowners, the London Development Agency (LDA) will see the delivery of Biota! and a contribution of £25 million to infrastructure and local benefits, bringing major gains to the borough, businesses and the local community. The community facilities include a multi-use community centre, a modern library, a major new health centre and a primary school with nursery facilities.

There will also be new public open spaces and landscaping, better pedestrian, bus and cycle routes and a new pedestrian bridge across the North Woolwich Road to the new Docklands Light Railway station, which will be subject to an early architectural competition. Silvertown Quays is set to be the new heart of the Royal Docks with high quality restaurants and retail offering variety and activity and creating a lively town centre.

Over £1m has been committed for training local people with an estimated 2,000 jobs being created with 25 per cent guaranteed to Newham residents plus 25 percent of construction jobs, with 10 per cent being apprenticeships.

Located adjacent to London City Airport and the ExCeL exhibition centre in the Royal Docks, E16, Silvertown Quays is a vital element of the overall Thames Gateway concept and will link the airport, the river and the existing residential and leisure schemes. The site was masterplanned by Urban Strategies International (USI) an international masterplanning practice from Toronto, Canada.

Biota! the 14, 500 sq m aquarium is strikingly designed by one of the UK's leading architects Terry Farrell & Partners and will present the global diversity of aquatic life through four strongly contrasting biomes recreating complete ecosystems with plants, fish, free flying birds, mammals and other animals.

The building is arranged around a central atrium and the first floor houses the open ocean and coral reef exhibits with day-lit biomes on the upper floors. The exhibit areas represent diverse world habitats - the Amazon, the British Isles, the Indo-Pacific, and the Atlantic Ocean. The fifth exhibit area, 'Living Conservation', focuses on protecting aquatic species and their habitats, the underlying message of Biota!

As well as being a centre of excellence for aquatic conservation, Biota! will also carry out scientific research and education overseen by ZSL. Breeding programmes for critically endangered species are just one of the many projects that will be undertaken at Biota! and will link to others in the UK and around the world including: Project Seahorse (Philippines), Mamirauá Reserve Biodiversity Project (Brazilian Amazon) and the Cabo Delgado sustainable ecotourism project (Mozambique).

As part of the Section 106 agreement the Biota! will provide 12,000 free visits each year for Newham school children and an outreach programme in schools, modern apprenticeships and work experience places plus bursary support for students studying marine biology or a related subject at university.