Newsletter Autumn 2025
- wpramembers
- Oct 7
- 2 min read
Chairman’s Report on the Save Wimbledon Park campaign
Since my last report, the Judicial Review took place on 8/9 July – with disappointing results.
On the first morning of the hearing a huge crowd gathered outside the High Court to show their support for the campaign, which resulted in the Judge recognizing the strength of public interest and making available an overspill court.
However, the dispute is far from over. A new supporters Bulletin (10) has just been issued by Save Wimbledon Park (www.savewimbledonpark.org) indicating that, after much consideration, they have decided to apply to the Court of Appeal for leave to appeal the recent judgment. Clearly this decision has not been taken lightly but it appears that they have been advised that they have a realistic prospect of success. The AELTC have conceded that their proposed development is incompatible with the statutory public recreation trust which, according to the GLA’s own advice, is present over the former golf course land. The existence or otherwise of the statutory trust is the subject of entirely separate proceedings which are very much alive and progressing towards a major hearing next January.
Finally, it bears repeating whatever the outcome of these two court cases, the restrictive covenants remain firmly in place. As the Judge remarked: “It is not in issue that the Golf Course Land is the subject of restrictive covenants which require it to be kept open and free of built development.” The AELTC scheme cannot proceed unless the covenants are released by Merton Council. Merton remain silent on the question of whether they intend to enforce the covenants, or not. The report from our MP Paul Kohler on pages 6 and 7 of the Autumn 2025 Newsletter refers to this.
All this took place in the middle of the Tennis Fortnight but wasn’t the only event to draw attention, namely the ‘Queue’ in Wimbledon Park. Regrettably, numerous complaints were made during the busy days of the first week and the sad thing was that the problems were largely a repeat of past years which had been noted and promises made to improve. This turned out not to be the case. Numbers camping in the park were bigger than ever and it was reported that on one day as many as 13,000 people were waiting in the park.
Friends of Wimbledon Park have published an excellent report (www.friendsofwimbledonpark.org) which is worth reading. It raises a whole range of issues which need close attention in the future. We sincerely hope that major improvements are implemented by the AELTC next year, assuming the Queue will be in the public park.
Iain Simpson, WPRA Chairman
This is an edited version of the Chairman’s Report published in the Autumn 2025 issue of the WPRA Newsletter – read the full Newsletter here. Printed copies of the Newsletter are available from Wimbledon Park Hall in Arthur Road.
