Council moves Donald Trump step closer to golf win

Published on Tuesday 19 January 2010 21:46

DONALD Trump has been granted special permission to buy a key piece of land for his Scottish golfing estate masterplan.

• US tycoon Donald Trump plans a golf resort on the Menie estate

Opponents of the 1 billion resort reacted with fury to Aberdeenshire Council's decision yesterday allowing the tycoon to purchase land critical to the project.

At a private meeting in Ellon, members of the council's Formartine area committee voted by seven votes to three to award the Trump Organisation "special purchaser" status – effectively ruling out any prospect of a bidding battle for the half-acre on the edge of the Balmedie estate.

Six rival bids were due to be made for the piece of council-owned land, which was once used as a car park for visitors to the Menie links.

A spokeswoman for Aberdeenshire Council said: "The council is to enter into negotiations with Trump International Golf Links Scotland over the sale.

"It was decided that the Trump Organisation be regarded as a 'special purchaser' due to the local economic benefits expected to be generated by the golf resort development that has been granted outline permission at Menie."

She added: "The Trump Organisation currently has outline planning permission for developing the land as part of the wider golf resort development.

"Officers will now begin negotiations with the Trump Organisation concerning the sale of the land. As a result, none of the other bids will be progressed."

But Debra Storr, an independent councillor on the area committee who has been a long-standing critic of the Trump development, said she planned to refer the committee's decision to the Audit Commission for Scotland for investigation.

She said: "My colleagues seem to be determined to smooth the way for the Trump Organisation. I had argued that the process should be an open competition and that all seven bidders should be allowed to submit sealed bids.

"But, as it is, the Trump Organisation only have to negotiate with the council, who have decided that they want to flog the land to them and nobody else. The council should be maximising its financial return on this land.

"But there is no reason now for the Trump Organisation to offer anything other than a reasonable amount, rather than pay top dollar for it.

"It's a very sweet deal for the Trump Organisation."

Sue Edwards, a local environmental campaigner who had been intending to put forward a "five figure" bid for the land, also condemned the committee's decision.

She said: "It just seems that the council are falling over backwards to enable Trump to get on and do things in the easiest way possible."

Sarah Malone, the executive vice-president of Trump International Scotland, welcomed the committee's decision.

She said: "We are grateful to Aberdeenshire Council for awarding us status of special purchaser, which clearly recognises the scale, impact and importance of this project for the north east of Scotland.

"This was an appropriate step taken by the council to prevent an unnecessary bidding war over a tiny piece of land that lies within the heart of the golf development."