Who are we?
We are a grassroots organisation of people who love Wimbledon and want to see it thrive and become an even better place to live, work and visit.
Our mission is “to shape a better, more sustainable Wimbledon to enhance the lives of future generations of residents, businesses, workers and visitors“.
We come from diverse backgrounds yet have 3 things in common:
- We all care about Wimbledon and want to take a constructive stance in how it evolves
- We believe we can have a significant effect on the way our neighbourhood develops by joining together collaboratively to produce a Neighbourhood Plan
- We all either work, live or have a business interest in the Wimbledon neighbourhood
Why does Wimbledon need a Neighbourhood Plan?
Wimbledon is changing rapidly.
Wimbledon is facing a period of unprecedented change and development from new planning legislation, the climate emergency, and now the changes the pandemic has made across every aspect of our lives.
It has been identified as an opportunity area for development in the London Plan published by the Mayor of London.
The anticipated rate of change is reflected in the new Local Plan produced by the Borough of Merton.
The new power for communities to create neighbourhood plans gives us a chance to come together as a community in successfully shaping the Wimbledon we all want for the future. Such a plan, prepared by the people of Wimbledon through a democratic process, will give statutory weight to our vision of a sustainable neighbourhood.
The Localism Act 2011 ensures that our plan’s policies, if successfully approved at a referendum, will be applied as part of the legal framework used in deciding whether a planning application is approved, rejected or modified. Working together to prepare a neighbourhood plan for Wimbledon is an opportunity we can not afford to miss.
What is a Neighbourhood Plan?
A neighbourhood plan empowers the local community to determine policies that future developments and planning applications would need to meet in order to be approved.
A central government initiative introduced in 2011, Neighbourhood Planning has been encouraged in order to bring greater local democracy to the planning process. The Localism Act 2011 ensures that our plan’s policies, if successfully approved at a referendum, will be applied as part of the legal framework used in deciding whether a planning application is approved, rejected or modified.
The plan, once passed through external examination and a public vote, would sit alongside Merton’s Local plan, and carry equal legal weight.
Whilst the Neighbourhood Plan cannot contradict anything in the Local Plan, it can add important detail affecting materials, design and aesthetics, building type and location and public safety. It also allows us to identify, protect and improve green spaces, views and buildings which we regard as part of the character and heritage of Wimbledon.
For more information, see FAQs here.
If you would like to be kept up to date on our progress and participate in our surveys, please join
The PlanWimbledon Steering Committee
PlanWimbledon is a community project. The Steering Committee consists of local professionals donating their time and committed to delivering a better future for Wimbledon.