Wimbledon’s expansion plans suffer setback as Wandsworth council refuses permission

Wimbledon‘s plans to undergo a massive expansion suffered a setback on Tuesday when the London Borough of Wandsworth refused planning permission for its proposed plans.

The plans, which included 39 new grass courts and a new showcourt with 8,000 seats, would enable the qualifying competition (currently played at Roehampton) to also be played on-site. The proposal was greenlighted by the London Borough of Merton but also required approval from planning officials in Wandsworth. The decision will now be reviewed by the Mayor of London’s office.

“Naturally, we are disappointed by the London Borough of Wandsworth’s decision,” Sally Bolton, Chief Executive of the All England Club, said in a statement. “Our proposals will deliver one of the greatest sporting transformations for London since 2012, alongside substantial benefits for the local community.”

“We firmly believe the AELTC Wimbledon Park Project offers significant social, economic and environmental improvements, including turning 23 acres of previously private land into a new public park, alongside hundreds of jobs and tens of millions of pounds in economic benefits for our neighbours in Wandsworth, Merton and across London. Given the split council decision, with the London Borough of Merton resolving to approve our application last month, our planning application will now be referred to the Mayor of London’s office for consideration.”

If the plan does move forward, the new courts would be in use in 2030 at the earliest.

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