Great-grandmother begins court battle against billionaire Donald Trump

Published on Wednesday 25 November 2009 20:47

A GREAT-grandmother made her first moves in court yesterday to scupper Donald Trump's plans for a £1 billion golf resort.

Eighty-five-year-old Mary "Molly" Forbes lodged paperwork at the Court of Session in Edinburgh at the beginning of the week to seek a judicial review of planning permissions granted by Aberdeenshire Council to the New York-based tycoon.

Mrs Forbes claims that a proper environmental assessment had not been carried out, while the local authority and Mr Trump contend that Mrs Forbes has no right to pursue her case because she never objected to the planning applications in the first place.

Mrs Forbes's son, Michael Forbes, is one of the Menie estate residents refusing to sell their homes to pave the way for the development. She lives in a chalet, which she calls "Paradise", on land owned by her son and daughter-in-law and next to their home at Mill of Menie.

The hearing continues.