LTA plans Roehampton super hub: a new base for British tennis, Wimbledon qualifying and elite development

According to reports reviewed by The Times, the vision would transform the current National Tennis Centre into a high-performance hub combining elite training, sports science and Wimbledon qualifying in one integrated site.

At the heart of the proposal is the potential acquisition of neighbouring land linked to the Bank of England, allowing the LTA to scale Roehampton into what is effectively a “St George’s Park for tennis” — a centralised national performance campus for British tennis.

A bigger Roehampton: 36 courts across three surfaces

The expanded site would significantly increase capacity. Plans reportedly include around 36 outdoor courts, split evenly across hard, clay and grass surfaces.

That detail matters. British players often struggle to replicate the surface diversity of the global tour in one place. A single campus offering all three would allow year-round preparation for Wimbledon, Roland Garros-style clay conditions, and hard-court swing demands without constant relocation.

The LTA already operates the existing Roehampton National Tennis Centre, opened in 2007, which includes 20 courts, padel facilities, accommodation and sports-science services. The expansion would build on that foundation rather than replace it.

From training centre to performance system

The new Roehampton concept goes beyond extra courts. It is designed as a full performance ecosystem, combining:

• Sports science and biomechanics

• Medical and rehab services

• Strength and conditioning

• Data analytics and performance tracking

• Coaching education

• Elite junior development pathways

The aim is to reduce fragmentation in British tennis, where players often split time between clubs, private academies and regional centres. Instead, Roehampton would act as a central hub connecting the entire development pathway from juniors to elite professionals.

This aligns with the LTA’s existing Player Pathway model, which tracks development from childhood through to professional level, and its National Academy structure for high-performance juniors aged roughly 13–18.

Why the Bank of England land matters

A key piece of the plan is the neighbouring Roehampton site currently associated with the Bank of England and used as the Wimbledon Qualifying and Community Sports Centre Roehampton, operated in partnership with the All England Lawn Tennis Club.

In 2021, the Bank agreed a long-term lease of the site, which continues to host Wimbledon qualifying and community tennis programmes. More recently, reports in early 2026 suggested the Bank was considering selling the freehold of the estate, which could unlock the expansion opportunity.

If acquired, the land would allow the LTA to connect elite training facilities with an already globally significant competition venue.

Wimbledon qualifying stays central to the plan

Roehampton is not just a training site — it is also a critical part of the Wimbledon ecosystem.

The qualifying tournament for The Championships, Wimbledon takes place at Roehampton every year, with players competing for a limited number of main-draw spots.

Any redevelopment would therefore need to preserve the site’s role in hosting qualifying rounds, at least in the short term. Longer-term relocation of qualifying has been discussed in connection with broader infrastructure plans at Wimbledon Park, but timelines remain uncertain and dependent on separate planning processes.

This creates a delicate balance: expanding elite infrastructure while protecting a key tournament function already embedded in the tennis calendar.

Participation boom driving infrastructure pressure

The push for expansion is also being shaped by rising demand.

The LTA has reported record participation levels, with millions of adults and children playing tennis annually across Britain. Growth in padel has added further pressure on court availability, increasing demand for shared facilities and training space.

At the same time, the LTA has warned of rising operational costs and long-term infrastructure needs, particularly as it tries to strengthen both grassroots participation and elite performance simultaneously.

In this context, Roehampton becomes more than a performance project — it is also a capacity solution.

Design ambition: a modern sports campus model

Architectural input for the project has reportedly been led by WOO Architects, a firm with experience on major international sporting projects.

The design direction reflects a broader trend in elite sport: moving from standalone training centres to integrated campuses where athletes live, train, recover and compete in a single environment.

The model draws comparisons with national hubs like St George’s Park in football and leading tennis academies that combine coaching, education and lifestyle support under one roof.

What happens next

At this stage, the Roehampton project remains a strategic proposal rather than an approved development. Key uncertainties remain around:

• Land acquisition terms

• Planning approvals in a sensitive London location

• Coordination with the Bank of England and the AELTC

• The future of Wimbledon qualifying logistics

• Funding scale and construction timeline

What is clear is the direction of travel. The LTA is signalling a long-term move towards centralisation, scale and surface diversity in its elite development system.

Why it matters

If delivered as planned, Roehampton could become the most important base in British tennis — a single site linking junior development, elite training, sports science and Wimbledon qualifying.

More importantly, it would represent a shift in philosophy: from a distributed system of clubs and centres to a unified national performance campus designed to produce players capable of competing consistently at the top of the game.

Whether that vision becomes reality will depend on land, planning and execution. But the intent is already clear — British tennis wants a stronger centre of gravity, and Roehampton is the chosen location.