‘Locals against their Goliath’: Wimbledon activists protest against plans to cut down 800 trees
Concerned residents and activists gathered together on Saturday to protest against plans for an expansion of the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) which would see hundreds of trees cut down.
In what they have described as a fight between “locals and their Goliath”, protesters took to Wimbledon Park in an organised day of action to defend the Grade II listed Heritage site.
Margaret Newman, who organised the protest said: “This is the ongoing struggle by locals against their Goliath.
“The AELTC is a small but powerful private, rich club which is trying to take over protected land to build an industrial tennis complex and in the process cut down 800 trees, endangering 120 species of birds and replacing mother nature with thousands of tons of concrete.”
A spokesman from AELTC described the protesters claims as a “gross misrepresentation”, claiming that the plans – which have been supported by the London Wildlife Trust – will lead to a 10 per cent biodiversity net gain.
The proposed plans to expand the AELTC onto Wimbledon Park Golf Course would see 38 new grass tennis courts, including an 8,000-seat parkland show court, as well as the construction of new tennis related infrastructure and buildings.
Out of the 1,200 trees currently on the site, proposals would see 300 removed, the AELTC said. The spokesman claimed that at least 1,500 trees will be planted during the process.
An AELTC spokesman said: “Our plans to transform the former Wimbledon Park Golf Course will deliver one of the greatest sporting transformations for London since 2012.
“We are committed to delivering significant social, economic, and environmental improvements, creating hundreds of jobs and generating millions of pounds in economic benefits.”
At the protest on Saturday, Ms Newman was joined by Jo Tall, The Green Lawyer, with her dog Rusty, Mariana Pacheco, Co-coordinator of Merton Friends of the Earth, Auriel Glanville of Merton Friends of the Earth, Fleur Anderson MP for Putney, Wimbledon independent candidate Amy Lynch, as well as members of Green Wimbledon Park Warriors.
Protesters held posters and banners featuring art work by Wimbledon artist Sarah Edgedale Donlan which read, “800 trees will go #Green not Greed”.
Consultation on the AELTC plans ended on June 10. A public hearing date is yet to be confirmed.
To find out more about the plans go to https://planapps.london.gov.uk/planningapps/21-P2900
Pictured top: From Left, Mariana Pacheco, Jo Tall, Margaret Newman and Auriel Glanville (Picture: Auriel Glanville)
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