Willmott Dixon has handed over a new state-of-the-art Members’ tennis complex for year-round use to The All England Lawn Tennis Club.
The complex is located adjacent to the main site for tennis’ most prestigious event, The Championships, Wimbledon.
The world-class facility includes 12 new tennis courts (six indoor acrylic and six outdoor clay), associated clubhouse facilities and an underground tunnel that connects to the main estate.
The 338-space underground car park will be used all year by Members and utilised as a transportation hub during The Championships to support courtesy car operations.
The timber clad building features a unique undulating double-curved roof to mimic the play of tennis. Controlled natural lighting and ventilation provides a brilliant setting for uninterrupted play, while externally the building and clay courts are set seamlessly into its surroundings. The project has also included extensive landscaping, retaining The All England Lawn Tennis Club’s guiding principle of ‘Tennis in an English Garden’ throughout its grounds.
Sustainability was a key focus. With a range of energy saving and sustainable initiatives utilised, a natural ventilation system, heat pumps and PVs were installed. The carpet tiles throughout are also 100% carbon neutral and the entrance mats are made of goat hair rather than plastic. During construction, schemes were put in place to ensure a large percentage of waste was diverted from landfill and transportation emissions were minimised.
The works commenced following The Championships in 2019 and spanned the pandemic period, with the team able to continue operations by adopting stringent Covid-19 safety guidelines as directed by the Construction Leadership Council and to meet The All England Lawn Tennis Club’s standards.
Commenting on the completion, Tim Henman, former world No.4 and AELTC Board Member, said: “The Indoor Tennis Centre is the finest facility of its kind that I have seen anywhere in the world. It is a huge asset to the Club and The Championships, and I am sure both amateur and professional players will relish the opportunity to use this facility in the future.”
Richard Poulter, managing director for Willmott Dixon in the South added: “We are delighted to hand over this incredible building to The All England Lawn Tennis Club, providing outstanding facilities for its Members to enjoy in a location that is synonymous with excellence in everything associated with tennis. This is a project that myself and the team are immensely proud of, and we look forward to seeing it being enjoyed by players and Members alike.”
The completion of the Indoor Tennis Centre for The All England Lawn Tennis Club marks Willmott Dixon’s latest high profile sports development. Previously the company completed a £30m fit-out of the East Stand at Twickenham Stadium. The project saw the improvement of hospitality facilities which cater for nearly 7,000 people at England’s home of rugby union.
