The High Court has cleared the way for a major transformation of the Wimbledon tennis grounds after rejecting a legal challenge on Monday afternoon.
Mr Justice Saini dismissed the judicial review application brought by Save Wimbledon Park, which sought to halt the All England Lawn Tennis Club's £200 million development scheme.
The ruling, delivered at the Royal Courts of Justice at 2pm, represents a significant defeat for local campaigners who had mounted a legal battle against the expansion proposals.
The group had argued that the Greater London Authority's approval of the plans was unlawful.
Wimbledon
|Wimbledon have been given the green light to go ahead with the £200million project
The decision enables the tennis club to move forward with its ambitious project on the site of the former Wimbledon Park Golf Club, which the organisation purchased with development intentions.
The approved development encompasses 39 new tennis courts and an 8,000-capacity stadium, dramatically expanding the tournament's footprint.
The scheme involves constructing 38 courts plus additional facilities across the grounds of the former golf club.
The proposals incorporate modifications to Wimbledon Lake, including construction of a boardwalk spanning and encircling the water feature.
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Wimbledon
|The plans will also include a new 8,000-seater stadium
The tennis club has pledged to create 27 acres of publicly accessible parkland from what is presently private golf course land.
Environmental enhancements worth £15 million have been promised for Wimbledon Park, featuring a new lakeside boardwalk, water sports facilities and children's play area.
Save Wimbledon Park's legal team argued that the site enjoys exceptional protection under planning law. Sasha White KC told the court: "You could not have a more protected piece of land in London."
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The barrister highlighted that the Grade II*-listed heritage site, partially created by landscape architect Lancelot "Capability" Brown, is safeguarded by a historic covenant.
The campaigners maintained that the land is bound by a statutory trust mandating its preservation for public recreational purposes.
Their case centred on claims that the GLA had not adequately assessed crucial redevelopment restrictions attached to the property.
These limitations were allegedly established when the tennis club's parent company obtained the golf course freehold in 1993, with restrictive covenants controlling future use of the land.
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Getty | Environmentalists had been concerned about safety for children and air pollution
The Greater London Authority and tennis club mounted a robust defence of the planning approval. Mark Westmoreland Smith KC, representing the GLA, stated that deputy mayor Jules Pipe had received "detailed advice" regarding the trust and covenants before making his determination.
The authority maintained that the decision constituted a "planning judgment properly exercised", with appropriate factors duly considered.
Jules Pipe had determined that the proposals "would facilitate very significant benefits" which "clearly outweigh the harm".
Environmental campaigners have expressed alarm about potential biodiversity damage and the prospect of a decade-long construction period.
Local residents fear heavy construction traffic could pose serious risks to children's safety on school routes whilst exacerbating air pollution.
The All England Club maintains that expansion is essential to compete with other Grand Slam venues like the French Open and US Open.
Tennis stars including Novak Djokovic have endorsed the plans as a "win-win", whilst Carlos Alcaraz called it a "great idea".
Save Wimbledon Park may now pursue an appeal against Monday's ruling.