Vision Wimbledon Park

ʻCapabilityBrownʼs Wimbledon Parkʼ 19th Century Water Colour Circa 1870 by an Unknown Artist

WIMBLEDON PARK

A VISION FOR CAPABILITY BROWN’S WIMBLEDON PARK BY THE CAPABILITY BROWN SOCIETY

March2021 INTRODUCTION Launcelot "Capability" Brown designed Wimbledon Park in the 18th century. Most of the land was lost to urban development in the late 19th and early 20th PROTECTED EDGE OF LAKE centuries. The remnant open land, focusing on his WITH PUBLIC ACCESS lake, is the only surviving Capability Brown landscape within an urban area and is in three different PUBLIC PARK AELTC SOUTHERN PARK WITH ownerships; The London Borough of Merton, The All PUBLIC ACCESS England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC), and the AELTC/TWC NORTHERN PARK Wimbledon Club. WITH CONTROLLED ACCESS NEW AELTC TENNIS FACILITIES

This heritage landscape is now on Historic England’s

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h s a. AELTC’s ambitions to introduce more than 30 new tennis courtsfor their Qualifying Rounds within the parkland following the imminent closure of the Wimbledon Park Golf Club requiring planning approval and agreements, b. The deteriorating condition of ageing and inappropriate facilities in the public park, and 0 3 c. The need for works to prevent the dam holding PRINCIPAL back the lake from failing. These works will affect the PUBLIC PATHS drainage of land around the western and southern KEY VIEWPOINTS sides of the lake and the frequency of flooding by the NEW TREES IN brook in the public park. PUBLIC PARK EXTENDED LAKE TREES AND This synopsis, in seeking the widest possible WOODLAND community support, summarises new opportunities FORMAL SPORT HUB for private and community use with improved public MIXED USE HUB 0 200 access combined with the conservation of the DE-CULVERT landscape. HISTORIC LAKE N EXTENSION We believe this would make the wider Wimbledon Park perhaps the most intensively used multi-purpose SUMMARY OF PROPOSED STRATEGY park in London whilst also being respectful of nature FOR WIMBLEDON PARK conservation and its heritage value.

1. Protection and restoration of historic 3. Protection, conservation and views and openness enhancement of nature, woodland and There are critical views of the landscape that require historic trees. protection and restoration including views to the lake, to St The lakeside offers a rich and diverse natural landscape Mary’s Church and Vineyard Hill. Historically the parkland that requires protection and enhancement with restored had more open views to the lake which have been lost with wet woodland, wetland and marginal vegetation. There inappropriate tree planting on the Golf course, around the are also important heritage woodlands, particularly Horse stadium and around the Wimbledon Club. Buildings near Close and Ashen Grove Woods that require conservation the lake also impair views. and a number of ancient parkland oaks, that must be protected. The trees, wetlands and lake provide important habitat for a diversity of wildlife, including bats, birds, fish, 2. Conservation of the historic lake within its invertebrates, and the European eel and this should be drainage catchment enhanced, not harmed, in any developments. The lake should be restored to its historic southern extremity. Safety requires works on the dam and outfall to 4. Removal, replacement and relocation of ensure that there is no chance of the dam failing. inappropriately located facilities Unfortunately, LB Merton’s preferred works would destroy the core of the ancientAshen Grove Wood and prevent the The unsightly 1970s sailing club with its storage yard and restoration of the lost eastern arm of the lake. Further the sports dome and tennis shed at the Wimbledon Club outfall might utilise an enhanced cascade with a modest are too prominent at the lakeside. The underused and ancillary outfall once the sailing centre is moved. The neglected sports stadium with its linear coniferous tree tributary brooks and Wimbledon Park Brook might be screen planting dominates the public park. Any athletics opened out and configured to ameliorate flooding. Silt provision should be redesigned to fit much better into the traps are needed on the tributaries and all new landscape. The Wimbledon Club and Golf Club development and land management should attenuate maintenance facilities are also too close to the lakeside. runoff. Sediment needs removing from the lake bed, but not in a way that destroys Capability Brown’s design. 5. Finding the least intrusive place for the 7. Improved public access extra tennis facilities Public access around the lake is proposed within a The Wimbledon Club’s land, fronting the AELTC, provides protected landscape setting that enhances the lakeside the best location available for new tennis facilities for the landscape character. New public pedestrian access is AELTC without any loss of heritage trees. The Club’s proposed to the lakeside from Church Road and Home relocation, and continued land ownership, should Park Road to the south which improves direct access from therefore be carefully considered in reshaping the wider Wimbledon Village. A new accessible public parkland area parkland landscape and enhancing the lakeside setting. is also suggested at the south of the lake where an alternative, or additional, lakeside access for the tournament queue is possible with space to service it, well separated from the main public park. Better access 6. Promotion of a wide range of public and includes providing new paths within the public park that private recreational, sporting and acknowledge desire lines, but also reducing the amount of educational facilities vehicle parking which is considered unsightly. Controlled and limited vehicle access would be provided for vehicles A wide range of new facilities is proposed. servicing and using the new stadium complex. There is a.The Wimbledon Park Arena is a proposal for a state of also scope to enhance the public views to the park from the art new sports stadium which would combine formal Home Park Road with new fencing, paving and tree sport with educational, function and new recreational planting in and beyond the park boundary so that this road facilities extending into a dog free levelled and drained was better integrated with the valley’s parkland character. “Bowl” area to the north. This northern area would be open to informal public access for the majority of the time when formal sport is not in operation and might also host 8. Options for public/private partnerships for concerts, a fairground or simply be used for picnicking. An eight lane athletics track would bound a slightly sunken all facility management weather hockey pitch which would also be available for The relocation for the Wimbledon Club facilities to adjoin multi-sports use for adults and juniors. The stadium would a new public park stadium offers the potential for joint have flexible function facilities, classrooms, an management and administration as a unified hub. There underground sports hall, gym, changing, catering facilities are also options for some of the new AELTC tennis and grandstand. An option exists to locate athletics facilities to be made available for use by the Wimbledon throwing events, not in the Bowl, but at a distance on Club so that a plethora of tennis facilities are consolidated. AELTC levelled land. Hiring of the Golf clubhouse for community events may b. Within the Public park occasional football and cricket also be combined with private AELTC use. pitches would be created within compartments of new tree planting clumps and informal landscape in the Brownian tradition, and new flexibly used public gardens would be 9. Enhanced landscape ambiance with created next to the existing Bowls pavilion. The Bowls consistent standards for public and private pavilion might also be converted and enlarged to provide facilities. upper level views of the lake and have an educational role on the park’s heritage and natural history as well as Throughout the parkland there should be coordinated and continuing to function as a nursery and day care centre. consistent designs for street furniture, fencing, paving, lighting and building materials to enhance the unity of the c.The upper levels of public tennis courts would be landscape setting. New planting should also respect the replanned and graded to provide a more flexible multi- Brownian tradition of protecting view lines, providing sports use while still incorporating tennis facilities. clumps of trees, enhancing openness and the promotion d. The former Golf Course clubhouse should be replanned of a pastoral landscape. Lighting should have regard to to serve as a flexible public and private functions facility the need for dark skies. and include a new outdoor community theatre. e.New AELTC tennis courts with a new facilities building on Wimbledon Club land set into the landscape with roof gardens and linked to a new area of accessible parkland. f.Relocated Wimbledon Club terraced into the hill side with lake views and roof terraces to form a hub with the new Wimbledon Park Arena, located within shared AELTC parkland with new cricket ground and pavilion.

The Capability Brown Society (TCBS) is an independent not for profit organisation with no agenda other than to stimulate debate to get the very best possible imaginative outcome for the future direction and use of the wider Heritage Wimbledon Park landscape. It aims to be proactive and imaginative, setting out proposals for the wider parkland, perhaps the most intensively used multi-purpose park in London, at the same time fully providing for the conservation and improvement of the park’s natural environment and ecology. This sympathetic and constructive approach will be adopted for other Brownian Landscapes in the British Isles. HORSE CLOSE WOOD

PARKING REMOVED (3) (6a) DOG FREE MULTIPURPOSE EVENTS BOWL AND PUBLIC RECREATION AREA GREAT FIELD (5b) PARKLAND MEADOW WITH TREE CLUMPS (CONTROLLED ACCESS ONLY WITH OCCASIONAL GRASS SPORTS OPTIONS DURING FORMAL EVENTS) UNDERGROUND PARKING BOWL PLAY WITH GREEN ROOF INFORMAL TREE REDUCED PARKING NEW ACCESS NEW CLUMPS DRAINAGE

(5) (6F) NEW WIMBLEDON CLUB ATHLETICS GENTLE SCREEN

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o h s EDUCATION LAKEVIEW (6b) BEACH VOLLEYBALL (3) DE-CULVERT CAFÉ NURSERY BOWLS (6b) PUBLIC GARDENS (5) (6f) SAILING BIRD HIDE CRAZY AELTC/TWC PONTOON (3) DE-CULVERT STREAM GATED ACCESS ANCILLARY GOLF OVERFLOW NORTHERN CAFÉ PARK RESTORED (6f) CRICKET BOUNDARY WATERFALL GROUND PAVILION TENNIS BROWNIAN RELOCATED (3) (2) LAKE BRIDGE 17M WEIR WITH (5c) FLEXIBLE 6M CENTRAL FLOW MULTISPORT (6e) NEW AELTC COVERED GATED ACCESS REPLANNING FACILITIES WITH (3) ROOF GARDENS SET POP UP REMOVE CAFÉ SHOP LOW AND MERGED TUDOR OAK ASHEN GROVE WOOD 0 INTO LANDSCAPE 3 (6d) PUBLIC/PRIVATE FUNCTIONS CENTRE

TUNNEL LINK TO (5d) NEW OPEN AIR COMMUNITY THEATRE AELTC (6) NEW PATH ACCESS TO LAKE (5) (6e) NEW GRASS TENNIS EVENTS PARKING COURTS ON WTC LAND ONLY PUBLIC WC BIRD HIDE INAPPROPRIATE BUILDINGS GROUNDSMAN (2) LAKE RESTORED TO TO BE REMOVED (4) HISTORIC EXTENT PRINCIPAL PUBLIC PATHS (7) (6) NEW PUBLIC ACCESS TO PRINCIPAL HERITAGE HOME PARK ROAD TREES (3) LAKE AT CHURCH (7) BOUNDARY FENCING AND IMPORTANT EXISTING ROAD LANDSCAPE IMPROVEMENTS WOODLAND AND TREE (6e) GROUPS INCLUDING NEW ROADSIDE NEW WOODLAND AELTC SOUTHERN AVENUE TREES AND WITH PARK LAKE VIEWS. KEY VIEWS NEW TREES IN PUBLIC PARK (PROTECTED FROM OPENED TO LAKE PLAYGROUND L DEVELOPMENT) IL H KEY VIEWPOINTS (1) D (3) DE-CULVERT R A EY PROTECTED EDGE OF LAKE IN WITH PUBLIC ACCESS V PUBLIC PARK

AELTC SOUTHERN PARK WITH PUBLIC ACCESS AELTC/TWC NORTHERN PARK WITH CONTROLLED ACCESS NEW AELTC TENNIS FACILITIES PUBLIC/PRIVATE FUNCTION AREA © 2021 – The Capability 0 200 Brown Society Limited. All rights reserved. N NEIL THOMSON LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT 1. PROTECTION AND RESTORATION OF HISTORIC VIEWS AND OPENNESS 2. CONSERVATION OF THE HISTORIC LAKE WITHIN ITS DRAINAGE CATCHMENT 3. PROTECTION, CONSERVATION AND ENHANCEMENT OF NATURE, WOODLAND AND HISTORIC TREES 4. REMOVAL, REPLACEMENT AND RELOCATION OF INAPPROPRIATELY LOCATED FACILITIES 5. FINDING THE LEAST INTRUSIVE PLACE FOR EXTRA TENNIS FACILITIES 6. PROMOTION OF A WIDE RANGE OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE RECREATIONAL, SPORTING AND EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES 7. IMPROVED PUBLIC ACCESS 8. OPTIONS FOR PUBLIC/PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS FOR FACILITY MANAGEMENT 9. ENHANCED LANDSCAPE AMBIANCE WITH CONSISTENT STANDARDS FOR PUBLIC AND PRIVATE FACILITIES.

A VISION FOR CAPABILITY BROWN'S WIMBLEDON PARK BY THE CAPABILITY BROWN SOCIETY