Campaigners challenge Wimbledon project
Wimbledon’s controversial plans to expand the grounds of the world’s oldest Grand Slam tennis tournament returned to court on Friday, as campaigners continue efforts to halt the project.
The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (AELTC) aims to triple the size of its main site, home to the Championships since 1877, through a £200 million ($267.9 million) redevelopment that would add 39 new courts.
The proposed expansion—focused on a former golf course owned by the club—has backing from high-profile players and some local residents. However, campaign group Save Wimbledon Park argues the land is protected by a statutory trust requiring it to remain available for public recreation.
The AELTC is now seeking a High Court ruling that the land is not subject to such conditions, with its legal team claiming it has never been used for public recreation.
Before Friday’s hearing, dozens of Save Wimbledon Park supporters gathered outside the court, including two women dressed as tennis balls holding a sign reading: “Balls to AELTC.”
The redevelopment plans were also the subject of a separate legal case last summer, after Save Wimbledon Park challenged planning permission granted by the Greater London Authority (GLA) in 2024. Although that challenge was rejected, the campaign group has since been granted permission to appeal the decision.
