Wimbledon going to court to seek resolution over controversial expansion plans

Wimbledon is going to tribunal to effort to caput disconnected a imaginable threat to its description plans.

The All England Club (AELTC) was granted readying support by the Greater London Authority successful September to build 39 caller courts, including an 8,000-seat show court, connected the erstwhile Wimbledon Park Golf Club crossed the roadworthy from its existent site.

The plans will astir triple the size of the venue but person proved controversial, pinch vociferous guidance from immoderate section residents.

An rumor raised astatine the readying proceeding was whether location is simply a statutory spot for recreational usage connected the onshore that would restrict development.

The AELTC is adamant location is not but is instigating a tribunal process to resoluteness the matter erstwhile and for each anterior to opening immoderate works.

A spokesperson for the nine said: “Our position, and that adopted by Merton Council connected advice, was and remains that location is not, nor has location ever been, a statutory spot affecting the erstwhile Wimbledon Park Golf Course land.

“In the circumstances we recognise that the correct point to do, astatine this stage, is to put the matter earlier the tribunal to found that location is nary spot complete the land.

“Today we person issued a missive earlier action successful bid to statesman this tribunal process. We judge that having this matter resolved is an important measurement that will present reassurance to america and to the section community.

“This marks the adjacent shape of our semipermanent task that will support our position astatine the pinnacle of tennis and to present year-round benefits for section group pinch 27 acres of recently accessible parkland for everyone to enjoy.”

It is not yet known really agelong resolving the rumor could take, while location is besides the anticipation of a judicial reappraisal connected the project.