Wimbledon Park Project - Mythbusters

We are aware that there has been a lot of information circulating in the local community from a variety of sources regarding the AELTC Wimbledon Park Project, and we can appreciate how this might be confusing. We wanted to address some of the misconceptions you might have heard by providing the facts behind the myths.

Myth - The AELTC is building on the public Wimbledon Park.

The planning application does not include or propose any new development on the public Wimbledon Park, which is owned by Merton Council.

Our planning application and our development proposals are focused on the AELTC owned Wimbledon Park Golf Course. However, the planning application also includes works to Wimbledon Park lake and the section of Church Road running between the AELTC Grounds and the golf course. Hence, both are included within the boundary of the application.

The application site excludes the Wimbledon Club – with the exception of a small section of their access route serving its car park. However, the development works do not move or alter the existing access arrangements to the Club and their car park.

It is important to note that we have an ongoing conversation and dialogue with Merton Council and the Wimbledon Club as fellow landowners on a range of topics that concern the lake and the land surrounding the lake.

Myth - You can’t include land you don’t own within a planning application.

It is a well-established principle within the planning process that an applicant does not need to own all the land which is the subject of a planning application. This is very common on large-scale and complex development projects where there can often be a number of land parcels under different ownerships.

In this particular case, the Wimbledon Park Golf Course is within the ownership of the AELTC, Wimbledon Park lake falls within the ownership of the London Borough of Merton (and is defined as a reservoir under the Reservoirs Act 1975), and the Wimbledon Club access road is also under their ownership. The section of Church Road is adopted highway falling under the jurisdiction of the London Borough of Merton.

Myth - An outline planning application doesn’t allow the impacts of the scheme to be properly assessed and understood.

We have submitted the planning application in a hybrid format with the development proposals part in detail and part outline. All proposed landscape works (including the setting out of the 38 new outdoor grass courts) is submitted in ‘detail’, with all main buildings (including the Parkland Show Court) submitted in ‘outline’ form.

Whilst the main buildings are in outline form, the Planning Application includes specific parameters which clearly establish the precise location, maximum extent, and scale of each building. Furthermore, our architectural team has prepared detailed Design Guidelines for each of the buildings which will ensure that a world class design approach, alongside the quality of materials, can be secured with confidence at this stage.This also means that the impact of each of the buildings can be rigorously tested and understood.

This approach has been taken because the proposed buildings are expected to be delivered towards the end of the development project (the Parkland Show Court is expected to be open in 2030). By submitting the new buildings in outline form (albeit accompanied with a detailed design criteria) it allows the principle of the buildings to be tested and established at this stage, whilst still enabling the detailed design of the buildings to evolve as construction techniques and carbon reduction/sustainability technologies continue to improve over the next five years.

The detailed design for the buildings will be subject to future Reserved Matters Applications submitted to both Merton and Wandsworth Councils.

Myth - Views from/of the golf course will be ruined - there will also be a solid wall installed along Church Road that will block views.

There will be no solid wall installed along Church Road – the railings installed in 2014 will remain and we are keen to replace the concrete wall on Home Park Road with railings that look similar to the ones on Church Road. Our overall aspiration is very much for tennis in a parkland setting, not a concrete one.

A key aim of the project and a core part of the development proposals is to enhance, improve and recognise the unique heritage interest of the Site. The landscape proposals reflect the spirit of the Capability Brown design in form and appearance but look to recreate the site as 21st century parkland. Brownian features such as rolling, naturalistic topography, scattered trees and using the lake as a focal point will underpin the character of this reimagined landscape. Importantly, the removal of the golf infrastructure of fairways, bunkers greens and tees (all part of the existing heavily managed landscape), will restore the landscape’s open and more naturalistic character. It will also reveal some of the historic views both into and across the site which have been lost under the golf course template.

Myth - The new Parkland Show Court will be large and domineering in the landscape.

The proposed design of the new Parkland Show Court responds directly to the landscape and the site’s rich heritage. It is intended as a world class building, reflecting the status and profile of The Championships, whilst also being sensitive to its setting with regards to scale, form, and materiality. The new Show Court has been located within one of the lower parts of the golf course and has been conceived as an extension of the landscape, set within a ring of mature oak trees, minimising the impact on its setting. It has been designed as a tree-like structure, which will support the building while also providing a frame across which climbing plants can flourish.

In terms of height, the 8000-seat stadium will be 28m height at its maximum point. This means it will be lower than No1 Court, which is four stories high plus its roof. The height of the Parkland Show Court is intended to be similar to the treetops that will surround it, and lower than the flats on Wimbledon Park Road. A number of views of the new Show Court from the surrounding area have been provided with planning application submission.

The remaining buildings are all also designed to blend into the landscape. The central maintenance hub will be subterranean and largely accommodated below ground by utilising the topography of the southern end of the site. Two smaller player hubs will be located within the northern and southern sections of the site and have been designed either to reflect buildings/structures which were historically present on-site or to blend into the new landscape. The seven smaller maintenance hubs will be sensitively located around the site and embedded in the densely planted perimeters. These smaller buildings will be soft in form, adapting to adjacent trees and landscape features, and will utilise natural materials and incorporate planting.

Myth - You’re endangering the landscape by using concrete bases underneath the new courts.

We are not proposing to concrete under the grass courts; only a narrow strip of concrete around the perimeter of the courts is required as structural support for essential fixtures. The extent of concrete is indicated in our submission drawings.

Myth - The AELTC is planning on building a shopping centre/ hotel on the golf course.

Plans for a hotel or a shopping centre have never been part of our proposals.

Myth - You're destroying all the greenery on the golf course.

We take the importance of preserving the local environment and heritage very seriously. Therefore, central to our proposals is the creation of one of London’s first new public parks since the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park opened almost a decade ago. The new park will be 27 acres and will allow public access to the previously private golf course land located within both the northern and southern part of the site. The site includes a large number of trees (and other vegetation) set around the golf course layout.

We have researched and analysed the existing tree stock on-site very carefully, particularly the more mature trees and those with veteran status. Many of the present trees have been planted to create the layout of the golf course, which is not in line with Brown’s design and vision. As a result, much of the newer planting on the golf course is of poorer quality with a limited life span and has obscured the historic layout of the land (including the original views and vistas).This is the planting we are proposing to remove which in very large parts will help the veteran and very old trees to continue to thrive for another 100 or 200 years.

The site is also designated as a ‘Site of Nature Conservation Interest’. However, the current golf course is a heavily managed and maintained landscape which has constrained the on-site ecology and limited the range of available natural habitats. The development proposals look to significantly enhance the on-site biodiversity by improving the main habitat types of wetland, woodland, parkland, and grassland to achieve a net gain of over 10%.

The proposal offers the opportunity to repair and bring back some of the original landscaping designed by Brown, and significantly enhance ecology/biodiversity value. The proposal will double the number of trees on the golf course through the retention and protection of veteran trees and significant new planting - giving a net gain of 1,500 important new, resilient trees.

In terms of the new trees we propose to plant, they will be of varying ages and sizes to ensure that not the whole tree stock is of the same age and maturity and that we have a varied and diverse tree population on the site for generations to come.

Myth - These proposals will essentially create another version of the current All England Club grounds over the road, vast swathes of concrete, buildings, and so on, all locked behind gates.

Our vision for these proposals is tennis in an English parkland and a beautiful year-round public park, not a concrete jungle. We have spent time understanding and developing our proposals so that this beautiful setting will thrive, with all the environmental and ecological benefits that it brings, while enabling a quality experience for all our guests.

As stated above, a key aim of the project and a core part of the development proposals is to enhance, improve and recognise the unique heritage interest of the Site. The landscape proposals reflect the spirit of the Capability Brown design in form and appearance but look to recreate the site as 21st century parkland. Brownian features such as rolling, naturalistic topography, scattered trees and using the lake as a focal point will underpin the character of this reimagined landscape. Importantly, the removal of the golf infrastructure of fairways, bunkers greens and tees (all part of the existing heavily managed landscape), will restore the landscape’s open and more naturalistic character. It will also reveal some of the historic views both into and across the site which have been lost under the golf course template.

Myth - The new park won’t really be open to the public and the AELTC will restrict access.

The new park will open up public access to the previously private golf course land located within the southern part of the Application Site. The park will connect from Church Road through to Home Park Road and into the adjacent public Wimbledon Park.

Our proposals will open up 23-acres of land for public access all year-round including during The Championships. For clarity, closures of the parkland will be limited only to areas where they are unavoidable, for example during mowing or for The Championships build/derig. Even then, a full closure of the parkland will be avoided and access across it maintained. We will also open a new 4 acre parkland on the northern part of the site, which will be accessible outside of The Championships period.

Myth - These plans will put the whole area at risk of flooding.

The development proposals include a detailed drainage and flood risk management strategy. The proposals make provision for flood mitigation measures including the de-culverting of the two brooks serving Wimbledon Park Lake; the inclusion of detention ponds; the creation of swales and new areas of wetland; the provision of rain gardens and the inclusion of on-site rain storage and runoff attenuation areas.

Collectively, these measures will improve drainage across the site and significantly reduce the risk of flooding.

Myth - You cannot build on this site due to a covenant on the land.

This is not a matter considered in planning.

Myth - This is Metropolitan Open land and is protected from all forms of development.

Metropolitan Open Land (MOL) is a strategic planning designation and is afforded the same status and protection as Green Belt. Whilst a change to an alternative outdoor sport can be supported within MOL, typically, the construction of new buildings (even where this supports a sporting use) can only be granted planning permission in “very special circumstances”.

It is therefore for us and our Master Planning Team to demonstrate that very special circumstances exist to support the proposed buildings (including the new Parkland Show Court). This has been set out in detail within the Planning Application. In this case, it is a mix of the special and unique cultural, sporting and socioeconomic interest and value of the AELTC and The Championships, alongside the ‘planning benefits’ to be delivered as part of the proposals, which will include: a new 27 acres public park; heritage and landscape benefits; the de-silting and environmental works to Wimbledon Park Lake (safeguarding its long-term future); wider community benefits; and significant ecology and biodiversity improvements.

Myth - De-silting Wimbledon Park lake isn’t necessary and will harm the ecology.

The planning application includes proposals for de-silting and environmental works to Wimbledon Park Lake. These works require planning permission and are integral to safeguarding the Lake’s important heritage, recreational, environmental and amenity value of this important community asset for generations to come.

The Lake is one of the last significant features remaining from the original Capability Brown landscape. If de-silting works are not undertaken, the Lake will lose its distinct shape and definition and will eventually return to marsh land. The de-silting works will also enable the recreational and environmental quality of the Lake to be protected and enhanced.

Wimbledon Park Lake is owned by the London Borough of Merton and the AELTC is committed to working with the Council to secure the de-silting and wider environmental improvements as part of these development works.

Myth - The boardwalks will stop the Lake being used by the water sport centre.

The proposed boardwalks will provide public access around the perimeter of Wimbledon Park Lake for the first time. The boardwalks have been carefully located to provide safe access while also protecting the existing sensitive habitats around the Lake edge. We have had a discussion with the water sport centre on the position of the boardwalks, and as a result of direct feedback form the centre, the boardwalks have also been set back as far as possible towards the edge of the lake to enable as much space as possible to be available for the water sport centre and other potential recreational users.

Myth - There will be a permanent loss of pedestrian access to Church Road.

Church Road is an important local link between Southfields and Wimbledon Village, mainly used by local traffic, cyclists, and pedestrians. Whilst the planning application includes proposals to improve the appearance and function of Church Road, the temporary closure of the Road is subject to a separate process known as a Traffic Management Order.

Church Road was temporarily closed during The Championships 2021 (using an Experimental Traffic Order) to assist with the safe management of the event. We are currently analysing the data collected during the event to assess how this changed the pattern of vehicle, cyclist and pedestrian movements, and this will, together with feedback from the Boroughs, emergency services, and TfL along with residents’ feedback also allow us to see what improvements could be made ahead of future Championships.

It is our longer-term aspiration, as part of the AELTC Wimbledon Park Project, to temporarily close Church Road for three weeks over The Championships and Qualifying period only. The road will continue to be open for day-to-day use for the remainder of the year.

During those three weeks, the 493 Bus will be rerouted locally to avoid Church Road. Data from 2021 showed this had little impact on local traffic, and improved bus journey time and reliability. Initial data also showed the closure had a positive effect in reducing through traffic, which was broadly welcomed by close neighbours.

Overall, for the Championships period, we wish to link both parts of our site as one seamless event space with a central focus on Centre Court during The Championships.

We also propose a series of improvements to the layout and design of Church Road which will enhance pedestrian safety and comfort and encouraging active travel such as cycling year-round. This will result in an overall improvement to Church Road. Alternative pedestrian and cycle routes will also be identified for use during The Championships and Qualifying periods, to avoid any significant disruption.

We have considered alternatives to closing the road for a few weeks, which have significant impact in the landscape with large staircases, long ramps and/or lifts required, which would mean extra temporary structures needing to be erected and disruption to Church Road traffic whilst the structures are put in place. Bridges or underpasses would also increase construction impacts and also embodied carbon related to the construction significantly. Closing the road is a more sustainable and low impact approach.

Myth - The community benefits you reference are not guaranteed.

Now that the Section 106 has been signed, the AELTC will be obligated to meet these requirements, in addition to the many other benefits we already voluntarily bring to the area through the work of the Wimbledon Junior Tennis Initiative, our Community Sports activities, and the work of the Wimbledon Foundation.

In addition to the publicly accessible park and major enhancements to access the lake, proposed additional benefits include:
- Using the southern parkland for bespoke outdoor learning workshops for schools and community groups
- An outdoor learning trail and pond dipping to discover the landscape, nature and habitats
- The Wimbledon Park Golf Clubhouse as a base for outdoor learning and as a community hub
- A wider community tennis programme to support tennis playing opportunities

Myth - This project is just a gateway for further expansion.

The AELTC Wimbledon Park Project was designed to address two of The Championships’ most significant weaknesses. First, that our Qualifying Competition is currently hosted in Roehampton (which is both an inferior venue away from our main site, and reliant on a short fixed-term lease). Second, that Main Draw players have the most restricted practice facilities of all the Grand Slam events.

By gaining planning permission for this project and securing the future of this nationally significant event, we are addressing the present and future needs to deliver a world class event and offer significant year-round access to the public. We have no further plans to expand beyond those included within the scope of the current planning application.

Myth - These proposals are all about making more money for an already wealthy organisation.

We are an unusual organisation in that we do not generate profit for redistribution to owners or shareholders.

Instead, we re-invest all income generated by The Championships in staging the event and our year-round operations, in maintaining our Estate, in our charity, the Wimbledon Foundation, and in British tennis through our relationship with the LTA.

These proposals therefore enable us to continue to deliver a successful event, and to reinvest that success in the sport of tennis and in our community.

Myth - You will be building for years before there are any public benefits seen.

We fully recognise that many residents are concerned about the disruption this project will create and we will take every effort to reduce disruption as much as possible and will be working closely with local authorities and TfL to mitigate impacts in the process.

To offset this, we have planned the construction phasing of the project to ensure that the new public park is accessible as early as possible.

A full list of measures and the proposed construction strategy is included in the draft construction management plan which is part of the planning application documents.