TENNIS

Wimbledon expansion may not be completed until 2030 as local resistance grows

An 8,000-seater show court, which would rank behind only Centre Court, left, and No 1 Court, is included in the plans
An 8,000-seater show court, which would rank behind only Centre Court, left, and No 1 Court, is included in the plans
THOMAS LOVELOCK/PA

The largest expansion in Wimbledon history faces further delays into the 2030s after it emerged that the planning application will not be heard until April at the earliest.

Four years after purchasing the adjacent Wimbledon Park Golf Club for £65 million, the All England Club are still navigating the process of receiving permission from both Merton and Wandsworth councils. More than 1,000 objections have been submitted, while an online petition to “save Wimbledon Park” has reached 8,600 signatures.

The All England Club’s initial timeframe had optimistically stated a wish for permission to be granted by the end of 2021, with qualifying held across the 38 new grass courts from 2028. However, the complex nature of the application, coupled with the fierce local resistance, has resulted