Wimbledon has launched a massive new £65million bid to acquire new land in what may prove the most significant move in the iconic tennis event's history.

The All England Club has tabled what it has termed a final offer to take over neighbouring Wimbledon Park Golf Club and its 73 acres as part of huge expansion plans.

All 750 members of the golf establishment - even those recently joined - would enjoy a windfall of minimally £80,000 (post tax deductions) under the enhanced scheme now being put forward.

Wimbledon has launched a massive new £65million bid to acquire new land to expand

The All England Club have major plans to make the Wimbledon grounds more accommodating

For many years Wimbledon has explored ways of gaining much needed extra space, with the particular desire of wishing to stage its qualifying event on site, rather than at Roehampton three miles away.

Members of the golf club have now received an official letter from All England Chairman Philip Brook offering improved terms in the hope of persuading them to accept the deal.

In April Sportsmail revealed in detail the renewed attempts by Wimbledon to acquire the land.

It will, in any event, fall under the All England Club's control in 2041 after they bought the leasehold from Merton Council in 1993.

For many years Wimbledon has explored ways of gaining much needed extra space at SW19

Members at the Wimbledon Park Golf Club have received correspondence from Wimbledon

The Wimbledon Golf Club is located to the right of the Wimbledon site in south west London

The offer earlier this year was just shy of £50m, and a major complication was the golf club's constitution. This states that only members of more than 10 years' standing would be compensated in the event of a bid to release the land prior to 2041.

The golf club's board brought in a raft of external legal and financial consultants to look at the complex process, and they have been working hard in recent months.

The result is an increased offer from their neighbours of £65m with all members being treated equally - highly important as 40 per cent of the membership are now of less than 10 years' standing.

Additionally, the new offer allows for nine holes of the course at the southern end of the site to remain in use - although one year after agreement they would be on a rolling notice of 12 months to quit.

The Wimbledon Park board are not making any recommendations about how the membership should act, but have now formally stated the offer in a letter to members.

The offer earlier this year for the golf club opposite the grounds was just shy of £50m

But an improved offer has since been made as Wimbledon try to get their new project moving

However, later this year there is the likelihood of two votes: the first will be on whether to change the establishment's articles of association to permit a ballot on the sale, which would require a 75 per cent majority.

The second would be on whether to accept the All England Club's offer.

It remains possible that enough members - who include the likes of Piers Morgan and Ant and Dec - may feel able to turn down the money and maintain the status quo.

In his letter Brook states that the acquisition is needed to retain Wimbledon's position as one of the 'leading sports events in the world'.

It has long been a sore point that SW19 is unique among the Grand Slams in not having its qualifying event on-site, with the Roehampton version considered quaint but somewhat outdated.

And, as this year's event showed once again, the tournament is bursting out of its seams on the current 42-acre grounds. The shortage of show arenas was illustrated by matches involving British players on Court 14 being mobbed by disappointed spectators who could not get a seat.

Piers Morgan (left) and Declan Donnelly (centre) are Wimbledon Park Golf Club members

Ant McPartlin, pictured with Donnelly, is also a member of the Wimbledon Park Golf Club

As yet there are no plans for the new land, but the All England has again emphasised that there is no way the likes of shops or hotels would ever be built as part of the expansion plans.

Interestingly, Brook states that using the northern part of the golf course would allow for a 'greatly enhanced arrival operation' during The Championships. Historically there has been talk of introducing a new or temporary station on the underground District Line for spectators, although that has never left the drawing board.

Another factor which has emerged via the consultants is that on the southern part of the course there are many protected trees, which could impact permissions for even the most limited development plans.

That is why golf is likely to continue to be played on that part of it for some time to come.

The fate of the separate multi-sport Wimbledon Club, which stands on nine prime acres opposite the All England's main gates, is different in that it owns its leasehold and has control of its future.

The US and Australian Opens have dramatically expanded in the last decade, with the French Open now embarking on similar schemes. It is a competitive situation and this partly explains why Wimbledon has acted with some urgency this year on trying to gain new space, prior to the opportunity that 2041 is guaranteed to present.

As one prominent member of the hierarchy observed during the big fortnight just gone, this deal is the potential 'game changer' and ultimately it could see Wimbledon triple in physical size.

They insist the improved offer is final. If rejected the clock will continue counting down to 2041.

To coin a tennis phrase, the ball is now in the court of the golf club members.