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Wimbledon\u2019s plans to expand the grounds for the world\u2019s oldest and most prestigious Grand Slam tennis tournament cleared another hurdle on \u200bThursday, as campaigners\u2019 attempts to block the project were rejected by \u200cLondon\u2019s High Court.<\/strong><\/p>\n The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club wants to treble the size of its main site, which has been home to the Championships since \u200b1877, in a 200 million-pound ($265.5 million) project which would feature 39 \u200bnew courts.<\/p>\n The AELTC\u2019s plans to redevelop a former golf course \u2060which it owns are supported by several leading players and some local \u200bresidents.<\/p>\n But campaign group Save Wimbledon Park, which took legal action to challenge planning \u200bpermission, argued the land is subject to a statutory trust, meaning it must be kept for public recreation.<\/p>\n The AELTC sought a ruling from the High Court that the \u200bland is not subject to such a trust, with its lawyers saying \u200bit has never been used for public recreation.<\/p>\n After a hearing in January, Judge Nicholas Thompsell \u200cruled \u2060in the AELTC\u2019s favour, saying in a written ruling that the land was never dedicated to the use of public recreation and so \u201ccould be sold without imposing onto the purchaser a public trust where one had never \u200bbefore existed\u201d.<\/p>\n AELTC chair \u200bDeborah Jevans welcomed \u2060the ruling, which she said \u201crepresents a significant milestone for our plans\u201d. Save Wimbledon Park said it intended to \u200bseek permission to appeal.<\/p>\n The expansion plans were at the \u200bcentre of \u2060a separate case last summer, when Save Wimbledon Park challenged planning permission approved by the Greater London Authority in 2024.<\/p>\n Save Wimbledon Park argued in that case that \u2060the GLA \u200bfailed to properly take account of restrictions \u200bon redeveloping the land. Their challenge was rejected, but the group has since been granted permission \u200bto appeal against that ruling.<\/p>\n ($1 = 0.7533 pounds)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n