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Beyond the Baseline: Wimbledon’s Expansion and Its Challenges

By: Jennifer A. Bishop and Lawson Cross

A recent decision by the High Court of Justice in the United Kingdom has paved the way for a significant expansion of the All England Lawn Tennis Club (“AELTC”), home to the prestigious Wimbledon Championships. The ruling follows years of opposition from campaign group Save Wimbledon Park (“SWP”), though several legal and planning issues remain.

Project Overview

The AELTC plans to redevelop the former Wimbledon Park Golf Club site, which it acquired in 2018. The proposed £200 million project would nearly triple the size of the existing Wimbledon grounds and includes a number of new facilities and public amenities:

  • Construction of 39 new grass courts, allowing the qualifying rounds of the Wimbledon Championships to be held on-site (currently staged at Roehampton);
  • Development of an 8,000-seat Parkland Show Court;
  • Creation of approximately 27 acres of publicly accessible parkland, converting previously private land;
  • Upgrades to infrastructure, including the construction of seven maintenance buildings, new access points and internal roads;
  • Enhancements to Wimbledon Lake, including the addition of a boardwalk around and across the water.

The project is expected to increase the site’s daily spectator capacity from 42,000 to 50,000. The AELTC has stated that the expansion will improve practice facilities and bring Wimbledon in line with other Grand Slam venues in terms of scale and infrastructure.

Planning History and Legal Challenge

The AELTC submitted its planning application in July 2021. Merton Council approved the application in 2023, while Wandsworth Council, which shares jurisdiction over part of the site, rejected it due to environmental and heritage concerns. This disagreement referred the matter to the Greater London Authority (“GLA”), which granted planning permission, subject to a Section 106 agreement that outlines community benefits and environmental obligations.

In January 2025, SWP brought a judicial review application in the High Court to challenge the GLA’s approval. The campaign group advanced three primary legal arguments:

  1. That the site is subject to a statutory public recreation trust and restrictive covenants, which they argue prohibit large-scale development;
  2. That the proposed construction would cause irreparable harm to designated heritage assets, including the Grade II* listed Wimbledon Park;
  3. That the new facilities do not constitute alternative public sports and recreation provision, as required under applicable planning policy.

On July 21, 2025, Justice Saini dismissed the judicial review. The court concluded that the GLA’s decision was a “planning judgment rationally exercised” and that the land’s protected status was not material to the grant of planning permission. The ruling found that the GLA had considered relevant policy factors and was entitled to weigh the project’s public benefits, including increased access to green space and the development of high-specification sport facilities, against potential harms.

Next Steps and Ongoing Litigation

Following the ruling, the AELTC has indicated that it intends to begin phased construction, with a portion of the public parkland opening in 2026. The new qualifying courts are expected to be operational by 2029, once the grass has matured, and the Parkland Show Court is projected for completion by 2030.

SWP has stated that it intends to appeal the High Court’s decision, contending that the GLA erred by disregarding the land’s protected status. Separately, the AELTC is involved in related litigation in the Chancery Division of the High Court, scheduled for January 2026, which will address whether the land remains bound by the statutory public recreation trust and associated covenants dating from 1993.

Whether or not the AELTC prevails in the remaining litigation, the case reflects broader challenges in reconciling large-scale sport developments with evolving land-use law and statutory obligations. It also highlights the importance of balancing public interest and private investment, particularly where green space, heritage protections and recreational access are at stake. These tensions are increasingly relevant in Canada, where urban intensification and major sport infrastructure proposals often intersect with longstanding community and environmental commitments.

The Sports, Media & Entertainment Group at Aird & Berlis LLP assists clients in navigating contracts, transactions, regulations, disputes and more. Please contact the authors or a member of the group if you have questions or require assistance.

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