WIMBLEDON is planning a major renovation to boost its capacity by 20 per cent for its 150th anniversary.
The project plans to improve accessibility while allowing more tennis fanatics to flock to the All England club.
The proposal is to expand the iconic Henman Hill in time for the 150th year of Wimbledon in 2027.
Thousands of spectators watch matches on the big screen from the hill every year, and is available for fans with ground pass tickets.
Tim Henman, whom the hill is named after, said of the plan: “It’s all about enhancing this whole area, obviously it’s become extremely popular but accessibility is difficult for everyone.
“We are always looking to enhance wherever we are on the estate. This is going to be an exciting project.”
The renovation is the latest move in a project that will see Wimbledon expand.
Organisers received a green light last year for 39 more courts to be built on a site opposite the All England club, including an 8,000-capacity stadium.
That will allow the qualifying tournament for the Championships to be played on-site and also offer more practice facilities for players.
However the proposal was met with opposition from local residents seeking to protect Wimbledon Park – where the new site will be built.
Merton Council backed the plan before it was rejected by councillors in next door Wandsworth.
That meant a decision had to be taken by London’s City Hall, although Mayor Sadiq Khan stood down citing a conflict of interest and leaving the final call to deputy Jules Pipe.
Despite cat-calls from objectors who had attended the lengthy D-Day meeting, Pipe accepted the recommendation of planning chiefs to give the green light.
It came within a few hours of deputy Prime Minister and Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Secretary of State Angela Raynor confirming she would not intervene in the process.
The decision was greeted by jeers from the residents’ group.
It has accused the club of breaching a legal covenant over the use of the site when the land was originally purchased from Merton in 1993.
They have criticised the impact of up to six years of building work on the project.
They are now vowing to apply for a judicial review of the decision and have not ruled out asking the Supreme Court to intervene.
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