“Given the Mayor of London’s previous support and the tone & substance of the Deputy Mayor’s questions at the hearing, I was saddened but not surprised by his decision to grant planning permission to the AELTC. I was particularly dismayed at his willingness to take at face value, claims by the AELTC to have consulted widely with the local community, when all they have done is to lobby residents via a PR campaign whilst repeatedly refusing to attend public meetings or enter into meaningful discussions with elected representatives seeking compromise.
Despite the AELTC’s premature celebrations the opponents of the scheme still have many avenues available to them including judicial review challenging the Deputy Mayor’s decision. We also have a separate legal action available to us based on a recent Supreme Court decision (Day v Shropshire) where land is held on a public trust; something which the GLA’s own legal advice concedes applies to Wimbledon Park.
Whilst even if the AELTC surmount these hurdles, the land is still held subject to the covenants agreed with Merton Council, in 1993 when they bought land at a huge discount, precisely because of the AELTC’s legally enforceable undertaking to never build on Wimbledon Park. Provided Merton Council enforce the covenants, no amount of planning permission can override them.
As MP for Wimbledon I will support all lawful means available to prevent this gross over-development of Metropolitan Open Land and force the AELTC and Merton Council to keep the solemn promises they made to the community in 1993 and repeated as recently as 2018 when the AELTC bought out the golf club lease.”