£20m Murray legacy tennis centre plans scrapped amid local opposition

Judy Murray has scrapped plans for a £20m tennis, padel and pickleball centre in Park of Keir near the family home in Dunblane – despite securing £10m in funding.

The mother of Grand Slam-winning players Andy Murray and Jamie Murray blamed rising costs and drawn-out talks with planning chiefs and other authorities for the U-turn over a facility billed as the brothers’ legacy.

“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,” said a spokesperson for the Murray Play Foundation.

“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.”

Tennis governing body the LTA handed Murray a major boost in July when it announced £5m in funding for the project. Scottish MPs provisionally allocated a further £5m.

But the plans were opposed by some local residents, who argued that the tennis centre was a Trojan horse for building houses and a golf course on greenbelt land. 

The Murray Play Foundation spokesperson said they would now seek other initiatives to support its aim of encouraging more people to play racket sports. 

They added: “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.”