Wimbledon’s tennis expansion explained: Why plans for 39 new courts are again in limbo

Wimbledon's plans to build 39 new grass tennis courts on a former golf course have hit another legal hurdle after the Save Wimbledon Park (SWP) campaign group was granted the right to appeal to the Court of Appeal, as announced on July 22, 2026. This follows a March 19, 2026 High Court ruling by Justice Nicholas Thompsell in favor of the All England Club (AELTC), which found that the former golf course land is not subject to a statutory trust requiring public recreational use. AELTC chair Deborah Jevans had hailed the original ruling as a significant milestone for the expansion, which would also create 27 acres of new public parkland.