JUDY Murray has made a passionate plea for ministers to approve a new tennis and golf hub she believes will transform the grassroots games in Scotland.
Ms Murray, mother of double Wimbledon champion Andy Murray, warned time was running out to build a legacy for her son’s success.
The Park of Keir development, which is supported by Colin Montgomerie and Sir Alex Ferguson, goes before Scottish Government reporters on Monday. Ministers will make the final decision.
At the end of last year the plan for the site, which sits on greenbelt land between Dunblane and Bridge of Allan, was rejected by Stirling Council following local objections.
Speaking to The Herald, Ms Murray, who is a former national tennis coach, said the family-friendly hub formed a key part of the legacy she wants Scots to benefit from following the success of world number two Andy and his brother Jamie, who won the Australian Open doubles title earlier this year.
She said: “I really hope Scottish ministers will see the development as a matter of national significance in terms of developing tennis and golf.
“Both sports are in decline – despite Scotland being the home of golf – in terms of numbers.
“At the moment we have a unique opportunity to capitalise on the interest in tennis created by Andy and Jamie’s grand slam success, and last year’s Davis Cup win. We need [the development] so much in Scotland – if we don’t get it we will not be able to capitalise on this success. Andy and Jamie created the inspiration, I just want to take it forward.”
The multimillion-pound development would see indoor and outdoor tennis courts and Scotland’s first six-hole golf course, mini golf, a tennis museum, adventure playground, park lands and cycle paths, incorporated with a luxury hotel and 19 homes.
The privately-funded development relies on income from the hotel and homes to fund the sporting facilities.
As well as giving families the chance to try out tennis and golf on a pay-and-play basis, Ms Murray, who already runs a number of projects aimed at encouraging people from all backgrounds to play tennis, plans to base herself there and train the next generation of tennis coaches, referees and development officers.
She also hopes to create a competition structure for players of all ages and abilities. Andy Murray, who flies into Glasgow later this month to play in Great Britain’s semi-final Davis Cup tie against Argentina at the Emirates Arena, has previously voiced support for his mother’s plans. Ms Murray, who will be among those giving evidence to the Scottish government reporter, said: “We have such a small window to make this happen – it needs to happen now.”
But Mark Ruskell, a councillor and MSP for Dunblane and Bridge of Allan, said the site was “controversial” and campaigners had fought against development in the green space for nearly three decades.
He said: “It’s about as remote from deprived communities that need access to grassroots sports facilities as you can get.
“It might be a good idea but is in completely the wrong place – there have to be other ways to secure a Murray tennis legacy for Scotland that are less toxic.”
Campaigner Ann Shaw, of campaign group Residents Against Greenbelt Erosion (RAGE), said: “Unfortunately this is beginning to look a vanity project by Judy Murray with little grassroots support.”
“Nearly 3,000 people have signed an online petition opposing housing on Park of Keir, the key to this commercial venture to finance Judy’s ‘dream’, over 1,000 letters have been sent to Stirling Council objecting to it and both Bridge of Allan and Dunblane community councils are objecting to it.”
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