Wimbledon tennis site expansion: Judge grants second challenge

A campaign group has been given the green light to take a second legal battle over the expansion of the Wimbledon tennis site to the Court of Appeal.

Save Wimbledon Park (SWP) brought High Court legal action against the All England Club (AELTC) over the expansion on the land of the former Wimbledon Park Golf Club, claiming that it was subject to a statutory trust under a 150-year-old law which restricted its use.

In March, Mr Justice Thompsell ruled the land was “unencumbered by any statutory trust”, but the Court of Appeal has granted SWP permission to challenge the ruling.

The order states that the appeal would last about three days, with SWP saying the hearing is expected to be held in 2027.

In a court order, Lord Justice Newey said: “The arguments advanced by the appellant have sufficient substance for the appeal to have a real prospect of success.”

SWP said the AELTC “has been saying in public and to their members that proceeding with their plans was a forgone conclusion”, but the Court of Appeal’s decision showed this to be “wishful thinking”.

A spokesperson for the AELTC said the decision was “disappointing news”, but it was “confident that the Court of Appeal would recognise the strength of the High Court ruling, which found by a wide margin that the golf course land had never been held under a statutory trust”.

They said: “The vast majority of local people simply want us to get on and deliver the significant community benefits on offer as soon as possible and they will naturally be disappointed that this decision will inevitably lead to further delays.

“It is firmly in the public and local community’s interest that the scheme is delivered in full.”