Park of Keir saved from destructive development

27 Aug 2024
Nature

Scottish Green MSP Mark Ruskell reacts to news that developers have pulled out of building on Park of Keir

A destructive plan for a private sports centre and exclusive housing at Park of Keir near Dunblane has been scrapped, but now is the time to focus on building an appropriate legacy on the back of Andy Murray’s success, says Scottish Greens MSP Mark Ruskell.

The development on beautiful wooded hills in-between Bridge of Allan and Dunblane was opposed by local people and the Scottish Greens over many years. Mr Ruskell gave evidence at the public inquiry against the project in 2016.

Despite being granted outline planning approval in 2021 by the Scottish Government, overturning the decision of Stirling Council to reject the project, the development has now been scrapped by the developers.

The Scottish Greens want SportScotland funding towards Andy Murray’s legacy to focus on building grassroots facilities across Scotland to ensure all young people can access tennis courts and training, empowering the next generation of Scottish tennis superstars.

Scottish Greens MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Mark Ruskell MSP said:

“I am proud the local community has stood up and protected Park of Keir. 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.”