THE Scottish Greens have welcomed the decision to shelve plans for a "destructive" £20 million tennis centre led by Judy Murray.
On Monday, a spokesperson for the Murray Play Foundation charity said the Park of Keir project near Dunblane was no longer viable in its current form.
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 leading to the move.
It had been hoped that the centre would serve as part of Andy Murray's legacy after its completion, by providing communities with greater access to sports.
But it had been a controversial development, with local campaigners resisting the plan to locate the centre on greenbelt land and include luxury housing within the project.
Scottish Greens MSP Mark Ruskell, who has long opposed the Park of Keir development, said he was "proud" of the local community for fighting the project.
He added that he hopes SportScotland delivers projects across Scotland to help extend Andy's legacy to those from an array of backgrounds.
"I am proud the local community has stood up and protected Park of Keir," the MSP 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.
“We all want to see a fitting tennis legacy for Andy Murray across Scotland, but building an inaccessible private sports centre, reliant on public funding, in a location that has very little local support was never going to end well.
“I hope that Sport Scotland, the LTA and other parties can re-focus on delivering a Murray legacy in communities across the whole of Scotland. People are crying out for better sports facilities in the communities where they live and they deserve them.”
Announcing the shelving of the project this week, a Murray Play Foundation spokesperson said: “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.
“The Murray family is proud of what they have contributed to tennis in the UK and remain committed to growing the game and persuading governments, sports governing bodies and others of the significant health, social and economic benefits that flow from sustained investment in sport and physical activity.
“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.”
