SAVE WIMBLEDON PARK COMMUNITY MEETING - WIMBLEDON PARK HALL, ARTHUR ROAD MAY 22

May 22 - Over 200 people from SW18 and SW19, the areas closest to Wimbledon Park and the heritage parkland, attended a meeting at Wimbledon Park Hall to hear the latest developments following AELTC’s new plans submitted to the GLA at the beginning of the month.

Asked for a show of hands, the attendees were unanimously against the AELTC’s development plans which would increase daily attendance by 20% whist expanding the size of the site by 200%.

Christopher Coombe, a founder member of the Save Wimbledon Park Group, outlined how little and insignificant the changes were. He said, "The AELTC has still failed to establish any need for this development, and the ‘benefits’ are illusory.  The extended ‘permissive park’ will now include the building site of AELTC’s own entrance way, and there are no environmental improvements.  Roehampton will still close and the Borough of Wandsworth will suffer.”  

A unanimous vote against AELTC's proposals.

Simon Wright from SW18 said, ”Local residents came to the meeting eager to understand the implications of AELTC’s latest plans for Wimbledon Park and to understand how they can respond to the GLA during the consultation period that ends on June 8th. During the lengthy Q&A not a single voice was heard in favour of AELTC’s proposals.”

There were many questions from the floor and with the upcoming General Election and with Stephen Hammond MP for Wimbledon standing down, much interest was shown in prospective candidates’ position in regard to AELTC’s plans.

Iain Simpson Chair Save Wimbledon Park said, “It was very gratifying to see the size of the turnout at the meeting and it’s quite clear that the depth of feeling against AELTC’s proposals run very deep within the community. This is despite what AELTC say who haven’t even engaged with our MPs. The recent concessions granted by AELTC are an insult to the community. The application, as it stands, would overturn all of the excellent promises that the mayor and assembly members have made only recently to preserve London’s open green spaces and their work to make our air cleaner, particularly around schools."