Wimbledon expansion plans face High Court challenge amidst environmental concerns

The Chairwoman of the All England Club, Debbie Jevans, is leading an ambitious expansion initiative for the Wimbledon grounds, with a total cost of £200 million. However, the plan has met with detractors and will proceed to the High Court for a judicial review to reach a final decision.

The tournament – set to begin on June 30 – will have Carlos Alcaraz and Barbora Krejčíková as defending champions in the men's and women's categories, respectively. With the extensive attention Wimbledon garners each year, the organization hopes to invest in expanding the SW19 venue.

The investment would exceed £200 million and add 38 new tennis courts, along with an 8,000-seat stadium on the protected grounds of Wimbledon, right next to the All England Club. However, the potential environmental impact has led to legal challenges seeking a resolution.

Jevans was summoned during the second week of the tournament to attend the hearing that will determine if the changes to the venue can proceed. "My attention will be on both, but I will attend the judicial review," she told The Times. "Because it’s very important to us. It’s important on every level."

All England Club Chairwoman confident in expansion

The judicial review was triggered by Save Wimbledon Park, who expressed concerns about the impact the expansion of the grounds will have. "I believe in what we’re doing," Jevans added. "[The review] is against the GLA, we’re an interested party, but I’m confident in our plans."

"I believe that the GLA went through a huge amount of due diligence when it granted the application, but you’re going into a court of law. We will always be limited [without expansion]. We will be the best that we can be within the size that we are."

“If you dissect what it means to be the best, would we be able to welcome as many people? No. Can we give each of the players their own practice court? No. If we have inclement weather, can we play as many matches? No,” the top authority added. "So does that mean you remain at the top of the tree? Well, in those aspects, we fall behind. The USPs remain the same, but we’ve got to be able to innovate, and to innovate we need space and we are very limited in that."

"We will always be Wimbledon, we will always be special, but we will fall behind in what we can do. And there’s a whole golf course there that needs to become a park."