Andy Murray gives sarcastic three-word response after £20m project scrapped
Andy Murray has broke his silence on the failed project
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Sir Andy Murray could not hide his disappointment as he reacted sarcastically the news that plans for a tennis centre were scrapped.
Murray, alongside his mother Judy, had been planning to open a £20million community multi-sport facility at Park of Keir, near his home town Dunblane.
It was set to mark the Murrays' impact on tennis, especially in the Perthshire area of Scotland, but the project has now been scrapped, with Judy, Andy and Jamie all strongly involved in the sport.
The Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) even pledged £5m but the project faced strong opposition, especially to the fact it was set to be built on green belt land.
Andy Murray could not hide his disappointment
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A statement from Judy's charity, the Murray Play Foundation, said: “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.
"We no longer plan to seek a detailed planning consent on the site at Park of Keir."
After the BBC reported the news, Murray reposted it on his X page with the three word caption: "What a surprise," followed by an eye-roll emoji.
The project had particularly been a dream of Judy's, who had won an eight-year legal battle to start planning the complex south of the Scottish town Dunblane at the end of 2021.
However, the plans became embroiled in another legal battle with campaigners over the location, with the resistance proving successful.
A spokesperson 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."
Among those who were vehemently against the Park of Keir development include Scottish Green MSP Mark Ruskell.
He said: "I am proud the local community has stood up and protected Park of Keir.
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It had been a dream project of Judy Murray
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"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."
Murray retired from tennis after the Paris Olympics in the summer, having won three Grand Slam singles titles and two Games gold medals.
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Andy Murray has won three Grand Slams, including two Wimbledon titles
Injuries have ravaged the Scotsman in recent years, which saw him crash out of Grand Slams either in the early rounds or before the competition had even began.
Nevertheless, the Briton remains one of the biggest names in tennis in recent years, regularly battling with some of the best including Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.
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