‘Corporate ecocide’: Wimbledon Granted Permission for Controversial Expansion on Protected Land

Last week, Wimbledon’s proposal for an expansion that will triple its size was granted at City
Hall. The plan includes 39 new tennis courts and an 8000 seat stadium, but is widely
controversial due to its location of protected open land in Wimbledon Park. The development has been proposed
in order to upgrade the facilities and create capacity for up to 50,000 visitors per day during the
championships. Wimbledon will also now be able to host the qualifying tournaments rather
than at Roehampton, creating an "exceptional three-week event".

There have been clashes between the AELTC and local residents who will experience ‘such
disruption of our very precious green space’ and will only be able to access 28% of the new area. The development of the Grade 2 registered Wimbledon Park into the ‘industrial tennis
complex’ has raised environmental concerns, with a projected loss of 300 mature trees and the
excavation of the golf course threatening biodiversity and protected priority habitats.

The social impacts of at least six years of construction are also creating fears of increased noise pollution
and traffic. The project has promised the “utmost respect for our neighbours and the
environment”, offering 27 new acres of parkland and seven of the grass courts to be open to
public use in summer. Yet, campaign groups have rejected the proposals as ‘shallow and poorly
thought out planning analysis’.

Nevertheless, Deputy Mayor Jules Pipe decided in City Hall that the proposal is "important in
helping secure the future of these championships" and that the benefits "outweigh the harm
caused by the proposal". Whilst planning permission has been granted, the future is not certain as the case may be taken to a judicial review and objectors insist that "the fight doesn’t end
here".