Scaled-down scheme at golf resort approved
A £150MILLION village at Donald Trump’s controversial golf resort in Aberdeenshire has been given the go-ahead – even though council officials admitted it was a “weak substitute” for the original plans.
A decade ago, the now US president blustered into the sleepy coastal strip near Balmedie and set about delivering his dream.
But despite insisting they still intend to achieve his original vision, Trump staff submitted a scaled-down scheme to Aberdeenshire Council.
Sarah Malone, executive vice-president of Trump International Scotland, told councillors economic conditions had changed.
Plans for a five-star 450-bed hotel and 950 holiday villas have been ditched.
Instead, 38 out of 63 councillors voted for 550 homes – 50 of them holiday units and a mix of 500 private, rental and holiday properties.
To begin with, only 82 four and five-bedroom lodges costing upwards of £1million, 34 holiday homes, shops, a gymnasium and fitness centre and a town hall will be built.
Planning chiefs recommended the plan, which they described as “a weak substitute”, insisting it will “still provide economic and social benefit to the local area and region”.
Earlier this week, a second golf course BY CHARLIE GALL c.gall@dailyrecord.co.uk at Menie Estate, to sit alongside Trump’s “world’s greatest golf course”, also received council backing.
There was huge opposition to Trump’s proposals, including almost 3000 letters of objection.
SNP councillor Richard Thomson, opposition leader on the council, proposed asking the developer to rethink the plan but his amendment was defeated.
He said: “We’ve given the developer the opportunity to retreat from some of the promises that were originally made.
“Even allowing for the changes in the economic circumstances over the last 10 years, we could’ve still had something transformative. That’s what we were promised – this to my mind isn’t it.”
Malone said there would be “great celebrations” among the staff.
She said: “This is a clear endorsement by the north-east of Scotland that the Trump development to date is already a success. We want to build on that great foundation and bring forward the future phases of the site.”
She said the second course and homes would be built simultaneously and that funding was in place to tee off.
She added: “We are a smart business. We don’t make mistakes that are costly. If there was a market to build a 450-bedroom hotel, we would be the first ones to do it.”