Wimbledon issue statement as £200m plan gets green light at High Court despite protests

Wimbledon chiefs have been given permission from the High Court to follow through with plans to expand the All England Club. The scheme, which is expected to cost around £200million, will add 38 new tennis courts and an 8,000-seat arena on protected land at nearby Wimbledon Park. It was initially approved by the Greater London Authority last year.

However, the plans sparked fury among some local residents with the Save Wimbledon Park campaign group raising over £200,000 to fight their corner. They had concerns about the environmental impact of the proposed redevelopment process. The group also argued that Wimbledon Park, a listed heritage site, is protected by a historic covenant.

They launched a legal challenge in a desperate bid to block the expansion and a two-day hearing was held during the Wimbledon fortnight. However, their efforts to thwart the proposal were shot down in the High Court on Monday.

Mr Justice Saini rejected the group's judicial review, saying the expansion scheme was 'a planning judgment rationally exercised and having regard to appropriate and relevant factors'.

Debbie Jevans, chair of the All England Club, commented: "We are delighted that Mr Justice Saini has dismissed the challenge to the GLA's decision to grant planning permission for our plans to transform the former Wimbledon Park golf course.

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"It is clear that we have a robust planning permission that enables us to create a permanent home for the Wimbledon qualifying competition as well as delivering 27 acres of beautiful new parkland for local people, providing public access to land that has been a private golf course for over 100 years.

"We have spoken to more than 10,000 people who have taken the time to come in person and understand our plans in detail. The vast majority of people just want us to get on and deliver the many benefits on offer as soon as possible.

"We now turn our attention to separate legal proceedings to give everyone reassurance that there is not, nor has there ever been, a statutory trust over the former golf course land. This hearing is due to take place in January 2026."

Jevans previously admitted that she had been left frustrated by how long the process had taken, insisting the expansion plans would help the All England Club to improve the fan experience.

Speaking before last month's hearing, she said: "I believe in what we're doing. [The review] is against the GLA, we're an interested party, but I'm confident in our plans.

"I believe that the GLA went through a huge amount of due diligence when it granted the application, but you're going into a court of law. We will always be limited [without expansion]. We will be the best that we can be within the size that we are.

"If you dissect what it means to be the best, would we be able to welcome as many people? No. Can we give each of the players their own practice court? No. If we have inclement weather, can we play as many matches? No.

"So does that mean you remain at the top of the tree? Well, in those aspects, we fall behind. The USPs remain the same, but we've got to be able to innovate, and to innovate we need space and we are very limited in that."