CAMPAIGNERS have vowed to take legal action against a controversial Judy Murray-backed tennis centre after an “incendiary” decision by ministers to grant it planning permission.

The Scottish Government yesterday backed plans for a tennis and golf centre near Andy and Jamie Murray’s hometown of Dunblane despite the findings of a public inquiry into the development.

Ms Murray has said she wanted to create a legacy to the success of her tennis sons but the development at Park of Keir, between Dunblane and Bridge of Allan attracted more than 1,000 letters of objection.

The proposals, which include 12 tennis courts, a golf academy, hotel and new homes, attracted high-profile backers including Sir Alex Ferguson and Colin Montgomerie.

Ms Murray said: “I am thrilled to bits about this decision and the opportunity it gives us to create a brilliant community sports facility in our hometown of Dunblane. I’m passionate about creating a lasting legacy from the successes of Jamie and Andy, and about getting more people playing and teaching sport.

“I want Scotland to be a healthier and more active nation, and I can’t wait to start developing the plans with the local community and the various governing bodies.”

But local campaigners reacted with anger at the approval and and are now planning to have a judicial review of the decision.

Nick Pidgeon, of campaign group Residents Against Green Belt Erosion, said members were “reeling” from the decision which raised questions about democracy.

He said: “They haven’t fully explored whether there is an alternative, and yet they go and grant planning permission. It is incendiary. What they are saying is ‘what the heck, go ahead and destroy this bit of green belt anyway’. It raises big questions about democracy in Scotland.”

The scheme was rejected by Stirling Council in December 2015 but a public inquiry was launched after the developers appealed to the Scottish Government.

The inquiry was heard in September by Scottish Government-appointed reporter Timothy Brian, who recommended the appeal be dismissed.
In a report in December, he concluded that “a development of this scale ... would seriously erode the openness of the green belt between Dunblane and Bridge of Allan, and have a significant negative impact on its core role and function to maintain the separate and distinct identities of these towns and to protect their landscape settings”.

Mr Brian concluded he was “not persuaded that there is a compelling local need for a new tennis complex at Park of Keir” nor “that a national centre to develop coaches, train elite players and host competitions would be best developed in a countryside location away from Scotland’s main centres of population”.

In their decision, Scottish ministers said they “do not support the reporter’s recommendation to refuse this appeal”.

Local government minister Kevin Stewart said: “I have concluded that the development is of significant regional and national significance. It will bring strong benefits to Scottish sport, helping in the development of elite competitors, while also providing facilities for the community. There will also be economic benefits, both to the local area and more widely."

But Green MSP Mark Ruskell, who represents Mid Scotland and Fife, said: “For 30 years communities have successfully fought to protect this precious landscape from property developers, it’s totally unsuitable for housing, but local plans and the conclusions of a lengthy public inquiry have been ripped up by the Scottish Government. 

“It will not make Park of Keir a national centre for tennis or golf, it’s about as far away from deprived communities who need local facilities as you can get, this decision has more to do with appeasing celebrities and developers with deep pockets.”

Alston Birnie, of developer King Group, added: “We can now get on with delivering an exciting legacy to the achievements of the Murray family.”