The Wimbledon Society Calls for AELTC to Resubmit Plans

Club says it is pressing ahead with proposals which bring 'substantial public benefit'

CGI of the aerial view of the completed scheme. Picture: AELTC

November 29, 2022

The All England Lawn Tennis Club has hit back at calls to resubmit plans for a huge expansion of its Wimbledon home.

The Wimbledon Society has expressed a view that the club withdraw the plans and resubmit them. It claims since last summer more than 100 extra documents have been submitted by AELTC which is causing confusion about what exactly is being proposed.

The club wants to expand into Wimbledon Park Golf Club under plans that would span 67 hectares between Wimbledon and Wandsworth.

The club said the scheme, which includes an 8,000-seat show court, would bring “substantial public benefit” to the area.

In a letter to Merton Council’s planning department, the society said, “For all planning applications, the public and the planning authority expect to see a coherent set of documents that clearly describe the proposals.

“With so many subsequent amendments and corrections, substitutions, and additional material, it is now totally unclear what set of documents actually forms this application. This is not only intolerable, but it also makes it impossible for the public properly to engage in the public consultation.”

A spokesperson for the All England Club said, “Our planning application for the AELTC Wimbledon Park Project has been the subject of extensive consultations over many months. We have spent a great deal of time answering questions from local residents and groups and we’re delighted that over 4,000 people have attended one of our consultation events or been on a site visit.

“We will continue to follow the clearly defined and agreed planning process as is required from any applicant. Within this beautiful and historic landscape, the AELTC Wimbledon Park Project will unlock some truly significant benefits for the local community and the natural environment alike.

“We look forward to continuing our positive dialogue with council officers, elected representatives and the local community as the planning process progresses.”

Tara O'Connor - Local Democracy Reporter