Plans to build Andy Murray tennis centre in hometown of Dunblane scrapped

It was hoped the centre would serve as part of Sir Andy’s legacy, by providing communities with greater access to sports, ITV News Correspondent Peter Smith reports

A project led by Sir Andy Murray's mother Judy to build a £20 million tennis centre near Dunblane in Scotland has been scrapped.

According to the Murray Play Foundation charity, increasing costs and problems with planning permission meant the Park of Keir project was no longer viable.

A statement from the charity said “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.

The 37-year-old called time on his career this year, making his final Wimbledon appearance in a doubles pair with his brother Jamie and competing in the Paris 2024 Olympics alongside Dan Evans.

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.

A Murray Play Foundation said: “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."

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The statement said that although 12 years of work had gone into the now-scrapped project, the Murray family wanted to stay committed to growing the game in the UK.

“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," it continued.

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.

He said it was "important" that the Park of Keir had been "saved" by shelving the scheme.

“I am proud the local community has stood up and protected Park of Keir,” he said.

“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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