EastSheenMatters

A Lords amendment to the Planning and Infrastructure Bill aimed at clearing the way for Wimbledon’s expansion has fallen, leaving the project exposed to renewed legal challenges — including further court cases in 2026 — over public land, statutory trusts and historic community promises.

The Debate in November 2025 also highlighted problems faced by the community in the processes involving the Stag Brewery Planning Applications and the Pensford Field Saga. Lack of consultation and openness are key factors. It is increasingly worring that councils and other decisions makers can do what they like, notwithstanding local community opposition. Under the guise of allegations of NIMBYISM their concerns can simply be overriden.

Following the loss by the Save Wimbledon Project (SWP) of the first round of legal battles over the summer — and with further challenges looming, including an appeal and a separate trust-related case expected in 2026 — another twist marked the close of an already turbulent year for both supporters and opponents of the Wimbledon expansion.

During the Lords debate concerns were expressed across party lines. A Labour peer and former Environment Agency chief executive warned that judicial review was not a realistic remedy for many communities. A decision was made not to proceed with the amendment.

2026 Judicial Proceedings on Wimbledon expansion

In January the High Court is to hear proceedings about whether the portion of Wimbledon Park acquired by the club from the council in 1993 was, at the time of sale, subject to a statutory trust requiring the land to be preserved for public recreation. The hearing is set to commence on 12 January 2026.

Separately, the Court of Appeal has granted SWP permission to appeal against an earlier High Court decision. That appeal has yet to be listed.

The High Court ruled that it is not the role of a planning authority to refuse an application simply because there may be difficulties in implementing it. The authority’s task is to assess whether a proposal is desirable and in the public interest, irrespective of potential obstacles to its execution.

SWP has stated that the case raised issues that went beyond Wimbledon Park itself:

“Above all, this is a public interest case. Planning is ultimately concerned with whether a development is in the public interest. The existence of rights of the public, imposed through the statutory trust and the restrictive covenants in the public interest, should plainly be very material to the planning decision. Unwanted development of public open spaces is proposed all over London: Wimbledon Park is just one example.”

Two meetings have already been convened under the auspices of Paul Kohler, the local MP. While no details have been disclosed about their substance or outcome, their occurrence marks the first resumption of direct engagement after months of stalemate — a period during which campaigners repeatedly said they were open to talks and had invited the AELTC to engage.