"Wimbledon upset
Sir, Lord Coe says Wimbledon’s proposed expansion can transform the area “like the 2012 Games” (Feb 8), but there is no parallel between the All England Club’s plans and the Olympics. The latter helped to transform an underinvested part of east London; Wimbledon is already an established world-class facility.
Thousands of the objectors are indeed tennis fans and enjoy the two-week tournament each year, but do not agree that a vast development on Metropolitan Open Land (protected as green belt) is justified. Both local MPs — Fleur Anderson, Labour, and Stephen Hammond, Conservative — have joined forces against the development, which would result in a loss of biodiversity and the felling of hundreds of mature trees.
Part of it may be open to the public but Lord Coe fails to note that this would be “permissive” access, removeable when the club decides. His article also omits to mention that the club agreed when it bought the land in 1993 never to develop it, and a restrictive covenant is in place.
Gary Forde
London SW19"