A proposal to construct a new stadium with a capacity of 8,000 and 38 additional tennis courts on a park in Wimbledon that is listed as Grade II* has been denied by a council in London.
The planning committee of Wandsworth council unanimously voted on Tuesday night to reject the proposed expansion of the All England Lawn Tennis Club’s championship grounds from 17 hectares to 46 hectares.
The council members concurred with the planning officers in Wandsworth who recommended rejecting the proposal due to its potential to significantly impact the openness of metropolitan open land.
The crowd in the audience cheered as council members voted unanimously, 7-0, to decline the All England Club’s proposals after a lengthy discussion lasting over two and a half hours. Advocates have criticized the club’s plans, which involve constructing a nine-story stadium, over 5 miles of roads, 10 maintenance facilities, and 38 additional grass courts in Wimbledon Park, as developing an “industrial tennis complex”.
Conservative council member for Southfields ward, Guy Humphries, stated that he could not remember another planning application that has caused such widespread discontent for various reasons.
According to Humphries, the All England Club’s argument that there are exceptional circumstances for them to develop on Wimbledon Park, which holds the status of metropolitan open land and was originally designed by Capability Brown in the 18th century, is flawed.
The All England Club had contended that it is crucial to expand and upgrade its facilities in order to maintain the status of the Wimbledon grand slam as the top tennis tournament in the world.
Ravi Govindia, a representative for the East Putney district and ex-leader of Wandsworth council, expressed that the All England venue takes pride in its peaceful surroundings, but the proposed changes are straying from the traditional English garden feel. He stated that while he supports investment in the area, this is not the appropriate approach.
Last month, the 155-year-old All England Club was granted approval from the planning committee of Merton, the neighboring authority. However, a small portion of the park falls within the boundaries of Wandsworth. The All England must obtain permission from both councils and the mayor of London (and potentially Michael Gove, the secretary of state for leveling up, housing, and communities) in order to proceed with the project.
Sally Bolton, CEO of the All England Club, expressed disappointment with the decision made by the London Borough of Wandsworth. She stated that their plans would bring about significant improvements for London, comparable to those seen in 2012, and also offer significant advantages for the surrounding community.
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We strongly believe that the AELTC Wimbledon Park Project will bring about important positive changes in terms of society, economy, and the environment. This includes transforming 23 acres of formerly private land into a public park, as well as creating hundreds of jobs and generating tens of millions of pounds in economic benefits for the communities of Wandsworth, Merton, and London as a whole.
“Following a divided vote by the council, the London Borough of Merton has decided to support our application last month. As a result, our planning proposal will now be sent to the mayor of London’s office for evaluation.”
Source: theguardian.com
