Wimbledon: All England Club’s proposed expansion suffers planning setback

The proposal to build 39 new tennis courts and an 8,000-seater show court at the All England Club has faced a major setback.

Wandsworth Council’s officers have recommended rejecting planning permission citing the “inappropriate” nature of the development, and the “substantial harm” it would cause to Wimbledon Park.

Despite recognizing the “physical harm” to Metropolitan Open Land, they believe that the “very special circumstances” do not justify the potential public benefits.

Furthermore, the report concludes that the proposed development would lead to a loss of open space and green infrastructure without any replacement provision.

The planning committee is scheduled to vote on this matter next Tuesday, followed by the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, who will have two weeks to deliver his verdict.

The additional courts would facilitate on-site Wimbledon qualifying matches, similar to the other three Grand Slams.

In an attempt to mitigate this, the All England Club has pledged to create a new 23-acre public park in the original design of landscape architect Capability Brown, with at least seven grass courts becoming available to the local community post-Wimbledon.

The local opposition has been vocal, with the Save Wimbledon Park organisation protesting outside the chamber when Merton Council voted on the issue, citing environmental impact and loss of trees and open spaces.

Their petition has garnered over 14,000 signatures, and both local MPs, Conservative Stephen Hammond and Labour’s Fleur Anderson, stand in opposition.

Anderson described Wandsworth’s recommendation as “a very positive step in the right direction”, expressing her delight at the decision.

Responding to the recommendation, the All England Club expressed surprise and emphasized the substantial social, economic, and environmental benefits of the proposed project.

The club firmly believes in the substantial public benefits and economic contributions the AELTC Wimbledon Park Project could deliver, including the creation of new green spaces, job opportunities, and economic benefits for the neighboring boroughs and the city of London.