Donald Trump makes plans for Menie Estate marquee

DONALD Trump is planning to build a massive temporary marquee in the grounds of his Menie estate - while he awaits the fate of an application for an offshore wind farm proposed off the Aberdeen coast which he claims is threatening future investment at his £750 million golf resort in Aberdeenshire.

• Temporary marquee will be constructed as Trump seeks possibilities of hosting corporate events, weddings and tourist functions at his Menie Estate golf resort

• The tycoon is awaiting the fate of an offshore wind farm application before making any decisions on a £280m luxury hotel

The tycoon has warned that he will not go ahead with the construction of a £280 million luxury hotel at the resort unless proposals for the 11 turbine European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre (EOWDC) in Aberdeen Bay are abandoned or rejected by the Scottish Government.

Scottish ministers have still to rule on the proposals for the £230million renewable energy development.

The Trump Organisation has now lodged plans for the erection of a “temporary function marquee” on land adjacent to the golf course and temporary clubhouse at the Menie Estate, near Balmedie

The marquee - with a floor area of 750 square metres and height of 4.82 metres - is being proposed to host a range of events at the Menie Estate including golf tournaments, corporate events, and weddings.

And Aberdeenshire council planners are recommending that the scheme should be given the go head at a meeting of the local planning authority, the Formartine area committee, in Ellon next Tuesday.

Clubhouse plans

The Trump Organisation states in a planning statement to the committee: “Trump International Golf Links Scotland are in a position to commence construction on the golf clubhouse imminently and desire to do so. However, construction of the golf clubhouse will commence when the applicant has confirmation that the EOWDC will not proceed or that it will be sited so it will not be detrimental to the golf course and resort development.

“In any event, given the construction period, it is envisaged the golf clubhouse will not be complete until at least Spring 2014.

“The outline planning permission includes a hotel on the Menie estate. Again, the applicant awaits confirmation that the proposed EOWDC will not proceed, prior to moving forward with an application for the detail of the hotel.”

The statement continues: “Since the opening, the applicant has received a large number of enquires and requests to host events at the Menie estate. In order to secure the economic benefits of this nationally important project, the applicant wishes to maximise the opportunities available, including large golf tournaments, corporate events, weddings and other tourist functions, in the interim period pending the opening of the golf clubhouse and hotel.”

It adds: “If planning permission is granted, the applicant would be in a position to increase the facilities available at the golf course and resort development very quickly, creating additional jobs and opportunities.”

Objections

The application has attracted six objections. They include an objection from Sue Edwards,a long standing opponent of the Trump development.

She claims: “The construction of this temporary building is not at all substantial enough to withstand the fierce winds coming from the South east and North east and, should parts break off, it will be extremely dangerous to anyone in the area, be they local residents, partygoers, staff, golfers or people walking freely amongst the dunes. The strength of the wind has been demonstrated by the vast amounts of sand recently blown into the golf course.”

Approval of marquee

But Stephen Archer, the council’s Director of Infrastructure Services, is recommending approval of the application.

He states: “The temporary marquee in comparison to the overall development in this estate is not considered a major addition, and it is therefore considered that it will not have a detrimental visual impact on the site.”

Mr Archer continues: “Given that the marquee is located within the golf course grounds in a coastal location, this is considered an appropriate site for this structure.

“The application site is not located within the SSSI and this temporary marquee is not considered to have any negative impact on any other local or statutory designations in terms of the quality of the landscape, not given the wider context of the existing approval and development of the golf course. “

He adds that, in the interests of the residential amenities of the occupiers of the surrounding properties, the opening hours of the marquee should be restricted to 7am to midnight.