The All England Club is fighting to create venues that can compete with international tennis venues. Photo: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
It was conceived to begin London's biggest redevelopment since the 2012 Olympics, creating world-class new venues in the birthplace of tennis.
But five years after the All England the club bought the ownership of the Wimbledon Park Club, a 73 acre site in a prestigious area in southwest London, not a single shovel stuck into the ground.
Instead, the project was still bogged down in the British Byzantine planning system. The two Labor councils have the power to decide whether the £200+ million Wimbledon project goes ahead or the club is destined to fall further and further behind well-funded rivals from the US and France.
As the UK prepares for a possible change of government next year, the project also risks being the ultimate test of Sir Keir Starmer's promise to be “on the side of the builders, not the blockers” in the never-ending battle between the developers and the “nimbies”. /p>
“Hosting qualifications at the Wimbledon venue presents a huge opportunity to not only remain one of the world's premier sporting events, but also bring significant year-round benefits to the local community,” says Tim Henman, former UK number one and board member of the club.
If the project goes ahead, the project will create 38 courts, allowing qualifying matches to be played locally rather than in nearby Roehampton. This will include a third show court called Parkland.
However, a backlash from a well-organized group of local residents and conservationists left the plans in limbo.
The land is owned by the All England Government. Club (Wimbledon)
Tennis bosses applied to the London boroughs of Merton and Wandsworth – two local authorities between which the development sits – in July 2021.
With building costs skyrocketing, political delays are putting heavy pressure on the finances of the All-England Club, which is due to repay a £170 million loan by mid-2026.
But financial worries pale in comparison to the prospect that Wimbledon will lose its place on the world stage.
Three other “majors” of this sport – the French Open, the US and the Australian Open – have already outstripped their rival from the UK.
For example, all three have local qualifications. On a busy pro tennis calendar, this at least almost guarantees that major tournaments won't drag on into a dreaded third week. The conclusion of the Wimbledon final on Monday and Sir Cliff Richard singing in the rain may bring back fond memories, but the brutal world of professional sports brooks no delay.
“We believe our app is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to deliver the biggest social and economic benefits that world-class sport can bring after the 2012 Olympics,” said Sally Bolton, Executive Director of the All England Club. /p>
“It's fundamental to our app that our plans will bring significant benefits to the community as well as improve championships in the future by moving qualification to SW19.”
Earlier this year, there were hopes that the Spring this year, the Labor-chaired Wandsworth and Merton planning committees will formally consider the proposals from the All England Club.
But now that window has passed, and sources close to the planning process have given up on any hope of a decision before the fall.
One person says a decision was slated for September. Another source says it will likely happen closer to October or November.
The All England Club is confident that planning decisions, once finalized, will be made. Not everyone agrees. One legal source suggests that rejection is a “slam dunk”.
It remains to be seen how much Wandsworth and Merton will heed Starmer's support for construction in Britain's green belt.
In May, the leader of the opposition pledged to “support the builders, not the blockers” if Labor came to power next week. general election.
Keir Starmer warned that accelerating growth would not be possible without a radical overhaul of planning rules. Photo: Stephan Rousseau /PA
Although Starmer was referring primarily to residential developments rather than commercial developments, it was clear to him that his party intended to “make a difficult choice.”
Ross Garrod chairs the Labor council in Merton. He is relatively new to the job, having taken office following local elections in the spring of 2022. For several months he enjoyed hospitality at the Royal Box with a companion as the guest of the All England Club on the day of the Women's Semi-Final. to the register of council interests.
Last November, Garrod was embroiled in a row over the cost of moving his parking space outside the council's offices, warning “security concerns” meant changes were needed after the previous leader had to evade staff by using the lane to reverse.
Meanwhile, his Wandsworth colleague, Simon Hogg, set about installing speed cameras last November to become the first local authority in the country to catch drivers breaking the 20 mph limit to much to the chagrin of those who live in the area.
In any case, the decisions of the Wimbledon councils are not expected to be the end of the saga. The appeals mean it will likely be years before the shovels are in the ground.
Sources estimate development could be delayed until the mid-2030s, by which time Roland Garros in France or Flushing Meadow in the US could expand even more.
“As a developer, this is your worst nightmare,” says one senior City source.
Market economists are caustic.
Christian Nimietz, head of political economy at the Institute of Economics, says: “By placing the right to object over the right to build, the burdensome planning system in the UK has already made housing unaffordable, set aside vital infrastructure such as reservoirs, into long grass, and stunted efforts to lower energy bills. Unfortunately, it is not surprising that even such expensive British institutions as Wimbledon did not escape the consequences.
“The Wimbledon proposal is just the latest addition to the countless projects around the country that have been suppressed by the planning system. There is a lot of appetite to build. To get these projects off the ground, we need to reduce the absurdly high political hurdles that stand in the way.”
A spokesman for the London borough of Merton says: “We understand the desire of the locals for the app to be addressed.
“Our priority is to ensure that we take into account and carefully evaluate the diversity of submissions before making recommendations to the planning committee. We expect to review the application in the fall.”
Wandsworth Council did not respond to a request for comment.
Bolton of the All England Club adds: “More than 4,500 people attended one of our consultation events, and the vast majority most people are extremely excited about our plans and are looking forward to their implementation.” hope they don't have to wait another five years.
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