- Wimbledon expansion approved
- Controversy over parkland development
- Plans to modernize the club
The expansion of the premises where the All England Club conducts the Wimbledon championships has been granted approval by local council leaders, an action that has generated controversy.
The development and planning application committee of the Merton council voted to approve the application to expand the tennis complex on Thursday evening.
A representative for the borough in southwest London issued the following statement: “The independent planning committee, composed of councillors from all parties, voted to approve the application submitted by the All England Lawn Tennis Ground (AELTG) for the expansion of its site at Wimbledon, after considering the officer’s report, pertinent submissions, and the relevant planning framework.
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Controversy Over Parkland Development
Merton council had received over 2,000 letters of objection during the more than four-hour meeting in south London. These letters alleged that the designs for the new show court and 38 other grass courts violated a covenant prohibiting construction on the Grade II* listed parkland.
Conservative Member of Parliament for Wimbledon, Stephen Hammond, stated that he desired to see a new application that would benefit the AELTC and the community, and that the current proposals were “inappropriate” in light of the proposed construction on the park.
A representative of the Save Wimbledon Park organisation informed the meeting that the proposals would necessitate the felling of hundreds of trees and referred to the development as a “aggressive inappropriate commercial development.” New trees, according to AELTC, will be planted.
Modernizing the Prestigious Club
The CEO of the AELTC, Sally Bolton, stated at the meeting that their vision would bring about “one of London’s most significant sporting transformations since the 2012 Olympics.” As the sole grand slam to hold its qualifying event at a distinct location, Roehampton, she cautioned that SW19 was at considerable risk of falling behind other grand slams. She also mentioned increased employment and tourism as additional advantages for the local economy.
Long have the intentions of the All England Club to extend its operations to include a golf course. According to its executives, the world’s oldest and most prestigious championship can only remain ahead of its grand slam competitors through expansion and modernization.
Historical Land and Legal Covenants
The estate will nearly triple in size, with more grass courts and a greater capacity for guests, per the approved plan. Additionally, the club can expand its revenue-generating corporate hospitality facilities onto its current property.
The US Open, held in New York, allocated £465 million towards the renovation of its secondary show court, the Louis Armstrong, which now accommodates 14,061 spectators. This expenditure was in addition to the Arthur Ashe Stadium, which features 90 luxury corporate suites, five restaurants, a two-story players’ lounge, and a primary venue with 22,547 seats. The centre court at Wimbledon has 14,979 seats and no corporate balconies.
On the land designed by landscape architect Capability Brown for the first Earl Spencer in 1768, the proposed development comprises an 8,000-seat “Parkland show court” measuring 95 metres in length and 28 metres in height. Additionally, the protected land will accommodate 38 ground courts, several ancillary structures, 9.4 kilometres of roads, and paths.
In 1993, for £5.2 million, the All England Club acquired the freehold of the golf course from Merton municipal council. In doing so, it entered into a legal covenant which prohibited any use of the land for purposes other than leisure, recreation, or as an open space.
The club leased land from Wimbledon Park Golf Club until 2041.
Nevertheless, in an effort to facilitate preliminary matches and extend the duration of the championships, the tennis club extended an offer to the members of the golf club for £65 million in exchange for the lease and the right to increase its physical presence.
Former cabinet secretary Lord O’Donnell and television presenters Piers Morgan, Ant McPartlin, and Declan Donnelly were among the golf club members who voted in favour of the deal in 2018 and received a windfall of £85,000.
It assured supporters that the show court would be “a structure of international calibre that complements the aesthetic appeal of its environs and pays homage to the site’s illustrious past,” adding to its reputation as “tennis in an English garden.”
However, a motion put forth by Liberal Democrat councillors last year would have mandated that the council “enforce” the covenants and halt the construction of the stadium. Conservative councillors supported the proposition.
In contrast, the motion was amended by Labour members, who constitute the majority on the council, to state that the covenants “need to be respected” as opposed to being enforced.
