There will be no sporting legacy for Sir Andy Murray in his hometown of Dunblane – at least not in the way his mum Judy had hoped.
Plans to build a £20 million sports centre on land near Park of Keir, aimed at growing the sports of tennis, pickleball and padel, have been shelved.
The plans – driven by Judy Murray and inspired by the success of her sons Andy and Jamie – included housing, indoor and outdoor courts, gym, exercise studio, soft play, golf facilities and a multi-use games area (MUGA).
On the surface, securing a long lasting tribute to one of Scotland’s greatest ever sportsmen feels like a no-brainer. But for over a decade the project has had to contend with local opposition, bureaucratic red tape and spiralling costs.
So, why did Sir Andy Murray’s legacy project falter?
Planning wrangle
When the Murray Play Foundation announced on Monday (August 26) that it was shelving its plans for the Murray legacy centre, the charity cited a “lengthy and uncertain planning process” and “protracted discussions with governing bodies” as reasons for giving up on the project.
Park of Keir has long been a controversial piece of land – a greenbelt between the towns of Bridge of Allan and Dunblane.
The site has been the subject of various planning applications, spanning 30 years. Proposals have included a hotel, a golf course, housing and more.
Then, in 2013 – the year Sir Andy ended Britain’s 77-year wait for a home grown men’s Wimbledon champion – fresh plans backed by Judy Murray were lodged.
They included a new tennis and golf centre, a museum, indoor and outdoor tennis courts, a nine hole golf course with a clubhouse, a hotel, a sports pitch, new access roads, car parking and more – all enabling a housing development.
Stirling Council refused the plans in 2015, saying the residential element went against principles in the Stirling Local Development Plan (2014) and Scottish Planning Policy (SPP).
Six years on, after a lengthy appeal to the Scottish Government Planning and Environmental Appeals Division, the government approved planning permission in principle for the centre in 2021, following an appeal by the developers.
Ministers said the benefits of the project would “outweigh” the loss of greenbelt land.
However, the government also placed 22 conditions on the scheme, including the proviso that a minimum of 19 new houses had to be built and could only be occupied once the centre was open to the public.
That was in late 2021 – just as the scale cost-of-living crisis was starting to emerge.
Almost three years on, would developers have been able to meet the government’s terms for approval? Or would a cheaper, scaled down project need to be put back in front of planning committees – at even further cost?
After so many years of administrative tennis, maybe Judy and the foundation decided it was game, set and match.
Finances
As mentioned above, the prohibitive costs of pretty much everything these days was almost certainly a factor in the decision not to proceed.
Although in its statement the foundation put the cost of the legacy centre at £20m, the government previously valued the cost of the whole scheme at £37.5m. Again, that was nearly three years ago and prices have shot up since.
So it’s no surprise to see “significant increases in construction, material, energy and labour costs” as another reason given for scrapping the proposals.
According to Building Cost Information Service, building costs will increase by 15% over the next five years. Since 2020, they have reportedly risen by 24%.
The project was to have been funded by the Murray Play Foundation with backing from the Lawn Tennis Association, which pledged £5m, as well as support from the Scottish Government through a provisional allocation of up to £5m from sportscotland.
Tellingly, while welcoming the LTA’s contribution to the project, Judy Murray made a point of saying: “We’re now hopeful that our other partners will commit their support to this important and exciting project, and to invest in other community tennis facilities across the UK.”
With prices soaring and organisations tightening their belts, did that extra support ever arrive?
Opposition
The Park of Keir development has been at the centre of controversy ever since plans were lodged.
The spokesperson for the Murray Play Foundation acknowledged this in their statement, saying: “Judy has invested significant time and encountered indifference and opposition for much of that period”.
Many objections at the time accused the developers of using golf and tennis as an “excuse” to build more housing.
Others were concerned it would add traffic to Keir Roundabout, increasing the risk of road traffic collisions. Others, including the Scottish Greens, said the greenbelt and local environment should be protected.
Those against also claimed there was “enough” golf and tennis provision nearby.
Mark Ruskell, Scottish Green MSP for Mid-Scotland and Fife, was a vocal opponent of the plans.
“We’ve already got tennis facilities in Dunblane, and there’s a national tennis centre just down the road at Stirling University,” he said.
“I’d like to see that Andy Murray legacy spread out to communities in Scotland that perhaps don’t have tennis courts and facilities, that absolutely need it.”
A group of locals – named SPOKE – Stop Park of Keir, then RAGE – Residents Against Greenbelt Erosion and later “Friends of Park of Keir – also lobbied officials to axe the development.
While it’s unlikely to be the main reason, Judy may have been conscious of tarnishing her sons’ reputations in their hometown with something so divisive.
Conversation