Sir Andy Murray 'legacy' tennis centre plan scrapped

Plans for a tennis centre near Sir Andy Murray's hometown of Dunblane have been scrapped over planning issues and rising costs.

The £20m project, led by his mother Judy Murray, aimed to build a community multi-sport facility at Park of Keir to mark the tennis legacy of the Murray family.

The Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) pledged £5m to the project but it met opposition from campaigners who said it should not be built on green belt land.

Judy Murray's charity, the Murray Play Foundation, said "with deep regret and sorrow" it would now not go ahead.

A foundation spokesperson said: “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.

"We no longer plan to seek a detailed planning consent on the site at Park of Keir."

Significant increases in construction and energy costs, the prolonged planning process and ongoing discussions with governing bodies were cited as reasons for abandoning the project.

Sir Andy, the former men's number one and two-time singles champion at Wimbledon, retired last month after competing at the Olympics in Paris.

Murray reacted to the news on X, simply tweeting: "What a surprise".

Judy Murray said she was frustrated at the lack of a legacy in Scotland from his tennis career.

Andy's brother Jamie Murray is also a seven-time Grand Slam doubles champion.

The foundation spokesperson added: “The Murray family is proud of what they have contributed to tennis in the UK and remain committed to growing the game."

The charity said it would now consider other initiatives to provide more people with the opportunity to pursue sport, fitness and physical activity.

The proposed facility at Park of Keir would have included tennis, padel and pickleball courts.

Former world number one tennis player Billie Jean King previously backed the project, calling it the "best legacy" for the Murray family.

Writing on X, she said: "Surely creating a base in Scotland for Andy, Jamie and Judy to give back to their sport by doing what they do brilliantly, developing the next generation of coaches and players is the best legacy for them."

The LTA, Britain's governing body for tennis, had pledged £5m to the project last month.

Chief executive Scott Lloyd had said they were proud to support a project which would be of "national significance to Scotland", as well as an "important community facility".

However, Green MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife Mark Ruskell was one of those opposing the project.

He said: "I am proud the local community has stood up and protected Park of Keir.

"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."

The Scottish government approved planning permission in principle for the facility in December 2021, following an appeal by the developers.

Stirling Council had rejected plans for the development, which also included housing and a hotel.

However, Scottish ministers overruled this decision, saying the benefits of the plan would outweigh the loss of green belt land.