Wimbledon's Expansion Ambitions Face Legal Challenge
The prestigious All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club has encountered another significant obstacle in its ambitious expansion plans after local residents secured the right to challenge the development in the Court of Appeal. The club's proposal to construct 39 new grass courts on land previously occupied by Wimbledon Park Golf Club now faces a judicial review following a ruling by Lord Justice Holgate.
Legal Battle Intensifies Over Development Plans
Last year, the AELTC received planning approval from Jules Pipe, the London deputy mayor for planning and regeneration, for their substantial development project. This decision was subsequently upheld in the High Court on 21 July. However, the campaign group Save Wimbledon Park challenged this verdict, leading to Monday's announcement that Lord Justice Holgate had granted permission for a judicial review.
In his reasoning, Holgate stated that "The grounds of appeal are arguable with a real prospect of success. The case law on scheme benefits, deliverability, relevance, material considerations and irrationality merits review."
Community Concerns Versus Sporting Transformation
The Save Wimbledon Park group maintains that the expansion will create what they describe as a "tennis industrial complex" that could damage the local environment and has failed to properly consider community opinions. The group is pursuing its legal challenge on multiple fronts, including a separate court case scheduled for January that will examine whether the golf course land should be subject to a "statutory trust" preserving it for public recreation.
Christopher Coombe, a local lawyer opposing the plans, emphasised that "SWP has never been anti-tennis. We believe that it is high time for the AELTC to recognise the raft of legal and principled problems with its proposals and sit down and talk constructively with SWP and the local community."
Despite the legal challenges, the All England Club remains confident about the project's future. A spokesperson stated: "We are confident that the Court of Appeal will ultimately judge that the High Court made the correct decision in upholding the Greater London Authority's grant of planning permission for a development that will enable us to deliver one of the greatest sporting transformations since the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games."
The club emphasises that their plans would not only create a permanent home for the Wimbledon qualifying competition but would also deliver 27 acres of new parkland for public enjoyment, providing access to green space that had been used as a private members' golf club for over a century.
