What was expected to be a major milestone for Wimbledon’s redevelopment has hit another bump in the road.
Plans to significantly enlarge the All England Club’s grounds are now facing fresh legal challenges after a local campaign group won permission to appeal a summer court ruling that had supported the expansion.
High Court Victory Wasn’t the End
Back in July, the All England Club celebrated what seemed like a key win.
A High Court judge rejected a request from the campaign group Save Wimbledon Park for a judicial review into the Greater London Authority’s 2024 approval of plans to triple the size of the tournament site.
At the time, it appeared the long-running legal battle might finally be over.
Campaigners Keep Fighting
However, the story is far from finished.
The campaigners, who have spent four years arguing that building on the former Wimbledon Park Golf Club was unlawful, have successfully secured the right to appeal.
Their case is expected to be heard early next year, extending what has already been a drawn-out legal saga.
A spokesperson for Save Wimbledon Park said:
“We are delighted with the grant of permission. This is a David and Goliath struggle.
The All England Club is a rich and well-connected corporate developer that has spent decades trying to take over a substantial part of this highly protected public park for its own purposes.
It has been tireless in trying to sidestep legal protections and has ignored the fact that when it bought the land in 1993, it formally agreed it would never build on it.”
Ambitious Plans Hang in the Balance
Despite the setbacks, confidence remains that the 73-acre expansion will eventually move forward.
The project is set to include 38 new tennis courts and an 8,000-seat stadium, making it one of the largest upgrades in Wimbledon’s history.
The earliest projections suggest that construction could begin in 2027, with the expanded grounds possibly hosting qualifying matches by 2032.
However, the appeal complicates matters further.
A separate High Court case scheduled for January will examine whether a statutory trust exists on the former golf course, adding another layer to the legal uncertainty.
The All England Club Responds
Representatives from the All England Club remain optimistic. A spokesperson said:
“After the High Court dismissed the recent judicial review on all grounds, we are confident the Court of Appeal will confirm that the High Court made the correct decision in upholding the GLA’s planning permission.
This development will deliver one of the greatest sporting transformations since the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Our plans will provide a permanent home for Wimbledon qualifying matches, while also creating 27 acres of beautiful parkland for the public to enjoy.
More than 10,000 people have seen our plans in detail, and most simply want us to move ahead and deliver the benefits as soon as possible.”
Looking Ahead
While the All England Club’s vision for a significantly expanded Wimbledon is still alive, the legal challenges highlight the delicate balance between development and preserving public green spaces.
The outcome of the appeal, alongside the January statutory trust case, will be pivotal in determining when—and if—the long-anticipated expansion finally begins.
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