Plans to significantly expand the Wimbledon tennis site are set to go ahead after a High Court judge dismissed a legal challenge brought by campaigners opposing the development.
The expansion project, backed by the Greater London Authority, includes the construction of 38 new tennis courts and an 8,000-seat stadium.
The proposed development would take place on the grounds of the former Wimbledon Park Golf Club in west London.
Campaign group Save Wimbledon Park had taken the matter to court, arguing that the land in question was protected and that the approval granted was therefore unlawful.
The group cited the park’s historic status, Grade II*-listed and partially designed by the renowned landscape architect Lancelot “Capability” Brown, as a key reason the development should not proceed.
However, the All England Club welcomed the outcome. Its chairwoman, Deborah Jevans, said she was “delighted” with the decision.
SWP, meanwhile, signaled that it may pursue further legal action, stating it believes the ruling contains “a significant legal error” regarding the park’s protected status.
During the court hearing, barristers for SWP argued that the GLA’s approval of the scheme was “irrational” and that the site’s statutory trust status and restrictive covenants, which limit how the land can be used, were not properly considered.
They emphasized the significance of preserving the public’s enjoyment of the open space.
But the GLA and the All England Club defended the approval, asserting that the decision reflected a reasonable planning judgment.
The court was told that considerations regarding the statutory trust and covenants were weighed, but not deemed material obstacles.
Mr Justice Saini, in his ruling, sided with the GLA, stating, “In short, the defendant’s decision on the relevance of deliverability, applying to both the statutory trust and the restrictive covenants, was a planning judgment rationally exercised and having regard to appropriate and relevant factors.”
The approved plans also include the creation of seven maintenance buildings, new access points, and a publicly accessible parkland area.
Crucially, the expansion would allow Wimbledon qualifying matches to be hosted on-site in the future.
Despite the ruling, SWP remains defiant. A spokesperson said the group had been “advised that it should” appeal, insisting the GLA mishandled the park’s legal protections.
Previously, Merton Council had greenlit the plans, while Wandsworth Council rejected them, leading City Hall to take over the final decision.
Mayor Sadiq Khan recused himself due to prior public support for the project, with Deputy Mayor Jules Pipe ultimately granting approval.
Pipe justified the decision by stating the development would bring “very significant benefits” that “clearly outweigh the harm.”
Defending the project, Sasha White KC said the All England Club obtained the freehold of the golf course in 1993 and later secured the leasehold in 2021.
He acknowledged that the land was under a “statutory trust requiring it to be kept available for public recreation use” and that “restrictive covenants” applied.
He noted that this meant any changes must not “restrict its use so as not to impair the appreciation of the general public of the extent or openness of the golf course land.”
He also revealed that a separate High Court case concerning whether the statutory trust exists is scheduled for January 2026, and that the All England Club has “accepted” the trust would conflict with the development if it is found to be valid.
“You could not have a more protected piece of land within the planning system, frankly,” White told the court.
Mark Westmoreland Smith KC, representing the GLA, emphasized that Jules Pipe had received “detailed advice” on the trust and covenants before making his decision.
He argued that even assuming their existence, the restrictions were not “material considerations” in the planning context.
The All England Club’s counsel, Russell Harris KC, added that planning officers had “acknowledged and had regard to” the legal protections in place.
Justice Saini’s 31-page ruling concluded that the authority had “properly considered the implications of the development on public open space.”
Christopher Coombe, director of SWP, expressed concern following the verdict, “This judgment would, if it stands, set a worrying precedent for the unwanted development of protected green belt and public open spaces around London and across the country.”
Meanwhile, Mayor Khan welcomed the decision, calling it “welcome news” that will “cement Wimbledon’s reputation as the greatest tennis competition in the world.”
Ms Jevans added: “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.”
