£20m Andy Murray Dunblane tennis centre plans shelved

andymurray

Plans to build a £20m tennis centre near Dunblane led by Sir Andy Murray’s mother Judy have been shelved.

A spokesperson for the Murray Play Foundation charity said the Park of Keir project was no longer viable in its current form.

A statement from the charity said that “significant increases in construction, material, energy and labour costs, a lengthy and uncertain planning process, and protracted discussions with governing bodies” were among the factors behind the decision.

It was hoped the centre would serve as part of Sir Andy’s legacy after its completion, by providing communities with greater access to sports.

Judy Murray won an eight-year planning battle to build the complex south of Dunblane at the end of 2021.

But the scheme continued to face opposition from local campaigners due to the site being located on greenbelt land and new luxury housing being included in the overall development.

Sir Andy, who is a key backer of Liverpool-founded, Manchester-based sportswear challenger Castore, bowed out of his professional career over the summer, signing off alongside doubles partner Dan Evans with an Olympic quarter-final defeat.

The Murray Play Foundation spokesperson added: “It is with deep regret and sorrow that we bring this project to an end and, with it, a unique opportunity for a sporting legacy from the careers of two young men from Dunblane who reached the top of their sport and inspired countless people to play the game.

“Judy has been involved in promoting sport and tennis her whole life, this not-for-profit project was an opportunity to build a base in Scotland that would have lasted beyond her lifetime and given the next generation greater opportunity to access courts, competition and coaching.

“Over 12 years, Judy has invested significant time and encountered indifference and opposition for much of that period.

“However, she and her team persevered until several factors conspired to leave the project unviable in its current form and we no longer plan to seek a detailed planning consent on the site at Park of Keir.

“We will now take time to consider what other initiatives might be aligned to the purpose of our charity, which is essentially to provide more people – particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds – with the opportunity to pursue sport, fitness and physical activity.”

Scottish Green MSP Mark Ruskell, who gave evidence at a public inquiry involving the project in 2016, said the shelving of the Park of Keir project provided an opportunity to focus on building an “appropriate” legacy for Sir Andy’s success.

“I am proud the local community has stood up and protected Park of Keir,” he said. “This area is the jewel in the crown of our greenbelt that stretches from Dunblane to Bridge of Allan, and it’s important that landscape has been saved.

“At the heart of this project was an exclusive luxury housing development that would have been damaging to the local landscape and would have eroded ancient woodlands and crucial greenbelt land.”

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