APPROVAL FOR MURRAY BACKED DUNBLANE TENNIS CENTRE

The Scottish government has approved planning permission for a tennis and golf centre near Dunblane following an appeal by the developers.

Stirling Council had rejected plans for the Park of Keir development, which also includes housing and a hotel.

However, Scottish ministers overruled the decision, saying the benefits of the £37.5m plan would “outweigh” the loss of greenbelt land.

Approval is subject to 22 conditions set out by the government.

The development, which is backed by Judy Murray, includes luxury housing, 12 tennis courts, a golf academy, hotel and visitor centre.

Ministers approved the plan despite a Scottish government-appointed reporter recommending that the appeal be refused.

However, they rejected the developer’s claim for an award of expenses against Stirling Council, saying they agreed with the reporter’s finding that the authority had not acted in an “unreasonable manner”.

Dunblane Community Council, which opposed the scheme, said it was “very disappointed”.

“It is a decision which ignores widespread local concerns and makes a mockery of the planning process”, the community council said in a Twitter post.

Mark Ruskell, Scottish Green MSP for Mid-Scotland and Fife, said he was “gutted” that the scheme had been approved.

Mr Ruskell gave evidence at an inquiry into the development in 2016.

“This decision will destroy an historic landscape that has existed at Park of Keir for centuries,” he tweeted.

“This development always about building exclusive rural mansions than a real tennis legacy.”