Save Wimbledon Park – latest news
Save Wimbledon Park
“We Want The AELTC To Think Again” says Save Wimbledon Park as it launches legal action and becomes a limited company
By Ellie Holmes
Save Wimbledon Park Ltd have announced they are to take legal action in their next move to try and stop the expansion of the AELTC, as the row over Wimbledon kicks off again at the start of a new year.
SWP have submitted a formal request for a Judicial Review (JR) of plans to develop a large area of Wimbledon Park, after the GLA approved the plans for 39 new courts and an 8,000 seat show court.
“We have taken this momentous step because our directors, members and the community feel strongly that this precious, historic and highly protected environment should be preserved from inappropriate development, be allowed to remain accessible and continue to be available for community use for sport and recreation,” the SWP’s Jeremy Hudson said in a statement.
Save Wimbledon Park believe that the planning decision made ‘errors of law and planning policy’ for several reasons. Nominally that it didn’t take into account the implications of the statutory public recreation trust and restrictive covenants, which prevent the proposed development.
Meanwhile in December the AELTC announced that they wish to start their own legal proceedings, asking a court to decide whether the former golf course is subject to the statutory public recreation trust. AELTC have always maintained that there is no public recreational trust over the land. They say that the first time the possibility of a statutory trust affecting the land was raised by objectors was in spring 2023 (following the decision in the Shropshire -v- Day legal case). Whilst they maintain there is no trust over the site, AELTC intend to “clarify matters, by launching legal action to give AELTC and the local community reassurance that there is no statutory trust on the land, and following the grant of planning permission in late 2024.”
Susan Cusack a founder member of Save Wimbledon Park says: “The judge has now received the papers calling for a JR, we have got to make the AELTC think again, and we have narrowed it down to three major reasons why we believe the planning decision made errors of law and planning policy.”
“Even the GLA’s own KC concluded that the land was held in trust and so if they had taken that into full consideration, they shouldn’t have allowed the planning to go through, so it is a number one reason and cause for concern.”
SWP has not only taken steps down a legal route, but has also changed its status as well, going from a local campaign group to a limited company – with directors and members, including lawyers, accountants and PR experts.
Susan Cusack is now a member of the new group and says: “We aren’t crowdfunding yet, but encouraged by continuing strong commitment throughout the community we are taking the process step by step as our resources allow.”
It is not known how long a decision on the Judicial Review (JR) will take, but SWP believes the first step could be in the region of 2- 3 months, and the outcome may be known 12 to 18 months later.
The AELTC continues to argue that development of the land will make the once private golf course available to the public.
It also emphasises the fact that by enhancing and increasing the facilities at the All England Club then the Wimbledon Championships will continue to compete on a world stage of grand slam tournaments.
A spokesperson for the All England Club commented, “Our plans to transform land that was formerly a private members’ golf club into beautiful new publicly accessible parkland, as well as securing the future of The Championships for generations to come, has been extensively discussed and analysed over the past 3 years. We are confident in the process undertaken during this time, including the GLA’s decision to grant planning permission at a public hearing in September.”
Tension in this match continues to build.
.
