Trump golf resort plans attacked...as ‘too weak!’

DONALD Trump promised it would be ‘the world’s greatest’ golf resort.

But a decade on, the Trump Organisation has come under fire for unveiling plans for a ‘weak substitute’ of the original design for its Aberdeenshire resort.

In 2008, it won approval for proposals to build 950 holiday homes, a 450-bed hotel and 35 golf villas – which have not been delivered.

Now the company has submitted scaled-back plans to build 500 houses and 50 ‘hotel cottages’ at the estate, at a cost of £147.2million.

Aberdeenshire Council officials called the new plans ‘disappointing’.

Mr Trump’s company has already invested £750million at the Menie resort, along with £150million worth of upgrades at Trump Turnberry in Ayrshire.

But the latest proposals were met with a lukewarm reception in a memo to Aberdeenshire councillors from senior business development executive Douglas Rennie.

He wrote: ‘The previous planning application indicated the phasing of the residential element would come after, and not before, the holiday accommodation.

‘From an economic development perspective, the phasing of the development the other way round is not so attractive.

‘This current proposal would normally be considered by economic development as very welcome. However, in light of the context, it is a weak substitute for what should be in this phase of the development.

‘The current proposal is weighted very heavily towards residential housing, whereas the earlier proposal was weighted very heavily toward developing tourism infrastructure.

‘From an economic development perspective, it is disappointing to see this proposed departure from the original plan.’

Since being elected US President, Mr Trump has relinquished his role as chairman of the Trump Organisation. His sons Donald Trump Jnr and Eric are now in charge of its day-to-day business.

Yesterday, Trump International Golf Links Scotland rejected the criticism, saying: ‘Given the significant unknowns in the current situation, any suggestion that a £150million investment is not attractive or weak takes some believing.

‘The remarks are naive at best. We are extremely confident this next phase of development will further enhance the reputation of the site as an exemplar and world-class destination and will build on the international reputation of the course, which is already ranked among the top courses in the world.’

Initially, when Aberdeenshire Council turned down planning permission for the development on the casting vote of the infrastructure committee chairman, the decision was called in and was eventually reversed by then finance secretary John Swinney.

The Trump Organisation then fell out with locals, most notably farmer Michael Forbes, whose home President Trump described as ‘a slum’.

‘Departure from the original plan’