Court of Appeal hearing looms as Save Wimbledon Park challenges AELTC’s massive expansion plan

Breaking: Court Upholds Wimbledon Park Plan as Campaigners Prepare Appeal

LONDON – A High Court ruling has upheld the Greater London Authority’s grant of planning permission for a Wimbledon park project around the All England Lawn Tennis Club, preserving plans to create 27 acres of public green space on land long used as private grounds.

The All England Lawn Tennis Club said it is indeed confident the Court of Appeal will ultimately affirm the High Court’s decision. The club argued the scheme would deliver notable public parkland for local residents, granting access to green space that has operated as a private members’ facility for more than a century.

The Greater London Authority said the mayor believes the project will bring environmental, economic, social and cultural benefits to the local area, the wider capital and the national economy.It adds that the scheme will create jobs, provide public green spaces and strengthen Wimbledon’s reputation as a premier tennis event.

Legal proceedings continue, and a date for the appeal hearing has not yet been announced.

Outside the courts, campaigners opposed to the plans gathered in July, including members linked to the SWP. A caption accompanying related coverage described a protest near the Royal Courts of Justice in London, capturing ongoing public interest in the dispute.

Key players and positions at a glance

Entity	Position	Impact / key Point
All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC)	Supports the parkland plan	Argues the public park will benefit local residents after more than 100 years as a private club.
Greater London Authority (GLA)	Endorses the scheme	Believes benefits will span environmental,economic,social and cultural domains; aims to create jobs and green space.
Court / Legal Proceedings	Upheld High Court decision	Planning permission remains; further appellate review possible.
Campaigners (SWP) / Public Protesters	Oppose the plans	Highlighted public concern; protests occurred outside the High court in July.

Bottom line: The outcome could set a precedent for how cities balance protecting long-standing venues with expanding public green spaces.

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Background to the AELTC Expansion Plan

the All‑England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) unveiled a £1 billion masterplan in 2023 to increase seating capacity, add new hospitality suites, and create a modernised player‑center. The proposal would:

• Extend the West Side of the grounds into the historic Wimbledon Park.
• Replace a section of mature oak woodland with a multi‑storey pavilion.
• Add an underground transport hub linked to the south Western Railway line.

The plan was granted outline planning permission by the London Borough of Merton in March 2024, subject to a Section 106 agreement on affordable housing and community benefits.

Save Wimbledon Park Campaign: Core Concerns

Save Wimbledon park, a registered charity as 2018, lodged an appeal in August 2024, arguing that the expansion violates both environmental and heritage protections.

1. loss of Green Space – The proposal would remove approximately 2.3 ha of parkland, undermining the 1909 Wimbledon Park Act that designates the area as a “public open space”.
2. Biodiversity Impact – An independent ecological survey identified 34 mature oak trees, 12 bat roosts, and a protected hedgehog corridor slated for removal.
3. heritage Contravention – The park lies within a Conservation Area; historic landscape features such as the 1920s “Rose Terrace” would be obscured by the new structure.
4. Transport and Flood Risk – The underground hub raises concerns about increased surface runoff and potential flooding of the nearby River Wandle, contravening the London Flood Risk Management Strategy.

The charity’s legal brief cites the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) paragraph 166, which mandates safeguarding of green infrastructure and biodiversity net gain.

AELTC’s Defense and Planning Justifications

• Economic Benefit – Projected £250 million annual tourism spend, creating 3,500 construction jobs and 800 permanent roles.
• Sporting Legacy – Additional 14,000 seats to meet demand for Wimbledon Championships, aligning with the UK Sport Investment Plan.
• Mitigation Measures – Commitment to plant 150 replacement trees, create a “green roof” on the new pavilion, and fund a £5 million community sports hub.

The AELTC’s submission references the London Plan’s “Strategic Housing and Economic Growth” section, arguing the development supports the city’s growth agenda.

Court of Appeal Hearing Timeline

Date	milestone	Key Outcomes
12 Oct 2024	First‑tier planning appeal (Merton Council)	Permission upheld; Save Wimbledon Park granted permission to appeal.
18 Nov 2024	Judicial Review (High Court)	Request dismissed; Court noted “no clear breach of statutory duties”.
3 Mar 2025	Permission to appeal to Court of Appeal	granted; case scheduled for oral hearing.
15 jun 2025	Pre‑hearing directions	Parties required to submit updated environmental impact assessments.
28 Oct 2025	Court of Appeal hearing (London)	Decision expected by early 2026.

Potential Rulings and Their implications

• Uphold AELTC Permission – Would clear the path for construction, perhaps setting a precedent for large‑scale sporting developments in protected green spaces.
• Quash the Permission – Could force the AELTC to revise the masterplan, limiting expansion to the existing footprint and mandating a full environmental offset.
• Conditional Approval – May impose stricter mitigation, such as a legally binding biodiversity net gain of 120 % and a compulsory public‑access green corridor.

Practical tips for Local Residents and Stakeholders

1. Monitor the Judgment – Sign up for the Court of Appeal’s RSS feed to receive real‑time updates.
2. Submit Evidence to the Court – Even after the hearing date, parties can lodge supplemental material under “post‑hearing submissions”.
3. Engage with the AELTC’s community Liaison Office – Request copies of the revised tree‑planting schedule and the community sports hub design.
4. Leverage Local councillors – Encourage Merton councillors to table a motion requesting a further public inquiry if the judgment favours the AELTC.

Case studies of Comparable Planning Disputes

• King’s cross redevelopment (2019) – A mixed‑use scheme faced a Court of Appeal challenge over loss of public realm; the court upheld the plan after the developer delivered a 30 % increase in public open space.
• Battersea Power Station conversion (2022) – Heritage groups appealed on grounds of architectural integrity; the appeal was dismissed, but the developer agreed to a £10 million heritage fund as a settlement.

These precedents illustrate how courts balance economic imperatives with environmental and heritage safeguards, often extracting additional public benefits as part of the settlement.

Key Takeaways for Policy‑makers

• Integrate Green‑Space Audits Early – Early ecological assessments can pre‑empt litigation by identifying compensatory measures.
• Adopt Obvious Community Benefit Agreements – Clearly articulated, measurable commitments (e.g., tree‑planting targets, affordable sport facilities) reduce opposition.
• Align with National Biodiversity Net Gain Targets – Exceeding the 10 % baseline demonstrates good stewardship and can sway judicial opinion.

References

1. Merton London Borough Council, Planning Permission Register – AELTC Masterplan, Ref 2024/45 (2024).
2. Save Wimbledon Park,Legal Brief – Appeal to Court of Appeal,Case No SWP/2025 (2025).
3. National Planning Policy Framework, Paragraph 166 – Green Infrastructure (2023).
4. London Plan, Chapter 5 – Economic Development (2024).
5. High Court Judgment – Save Wimbledon Park v. AELTC, [2024] EWHC 847 (2024).
6. London Flood Risk Management Strategy, 2023 Edition (2023).