A world-class concert hall with acoustics to rival any in London could be built in Wimbledon after preliminary plans were backed by the community and £1m was pledged for the project.
The vision for a 1,250-seater Wimbledon Concert Hall in the car park behind Morrison's received 80 per cent of the public vote in Future Wimbledon - a competition which invited architects, schools and community groups to draw up ideas for how the town centre might evolve.
It comes after Chancellor George Osborne and Mayor of London Boris Johnson both pledged their support for a state-of-the-art concert hall in London.
The campaign is being led by Wimbledon Music Festival Director Anthony Wilkinson, 74, who has already succeeded in drawing world-class musicians including the Philharmonia Orchestra and Austrian baritone Wolfgang Holzmair to perform in churches and theatres around Wimbledon.
Inspiration: the concert hall would aim to rival Frank Gehry's design for the New World Center in Miami
He said: "The plans are to create a major international arts district. We have got the New Wimbledon Theatre and the Polka Theatre and with this performance hall for music it completes a big group.
"The most important thing is that it's got to be world-class. There's no point in building a concert hall unless the acoustics are going to be magnificent.
"If we do something excellent lots of people will come but if we do something mediocre it's not going to be successful.
"We want it to be both an exciting and innovative place from the foyer to educational programmes. We want to be very imaginative and to make a real contribution towards the Wimbledon and Merton community."
Mr Wilkinson, an award-winning film director who was a producer of BBC Music and Arts TV in the 1960's before working in Hollywood, is flying to Miami in April to meet the people running the world-renowned New World Center concert hall designed by Frank Gehry.
He is currently setting up a Wimbledon Concert Hall Trust made up of prominent arts leaders including David Whelton, managing director of the Philharmonia Orchestra, a former director of the Arts Council and someone involved in building four major concert halls around the world.
The total cost of the project and finer details remain shrouded in secrecy, but Mr Wilkinson has revealed £1m has already been pledged to the project and the trust hopes to submit a planning application to Merton Council next year.
If approved, Merton could benefit from world-class music facilities in the town centre with space for a full-size symphony orchestra and a choir of 200.
It would also mean a permanent home for the Wimbledon Choral Society, which will celebrate its 100th anniversary this month outside of the borough, with a performance of Brahms Requiem in the Royal Festival Hall.
Homebound: The Wimbledon Choral Society supports the plan for a concert hall where it could perform on home turf
Tilly Richardson, a spokeswoman for the choir, said: "Wimbledon Choral Society are thrilled at the prospect of an international concert hall on our doorstep. Since the demolition of the town hall to make way for Centre Court Shopping Centre in 1989 we have been forced to seek suitable venues for a large choir and orchestra outside the borough."
It is not the first vision submitted for a concert hall in the council-owned car park, which the council is bound by covenant with Morrison's to maintain as a car park until 2019.
Councillor Andrew Judge, cabinet member for environmental regeneration, said: "It could be another jewel in the crown of out cultural offer."
But he warned: "The council in the future will always look to get value for its site, so any plan for a concert hall would have to be financially sustainable."
A street map and vision of the concert hall won the community vote in the Future Wimbledon competition
The Future Wimbledon competition was organised by the council’s regeneration team and business improvement district Love Wimbledon.
Helen Clark Bell, Love Wimbledon BID manager, said: “The public’s favourite adds to the strong cultural presence in our town centre, something Love Wimbledon is very supportive of. Well done to them.”
Would you like to see a concert hall in Wimbledon? Comment below, or email louisa.clarence@london.newsquest.co.uk.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel