Donald Trump ignores homes as golf vision unveiled

Published on Tuesday 16 February 2010 21:59

THE furore over the threat of families being forced from their homes to pave the way for Donald Trump's £1 billion golf resort was re-ignited yesterday after the tycoon's master plan for the controversial development was finally published.

• Donald Trump's vision for his 1bn golf resort on the Menie links will affect many inhabitants of the area

The 1,000-page document, detailing how Trump plans to transform the Menie links in Aberdeenshire into the "world's greatest golf course", was handed to officials at Aberdeenshire Council, marking a major step forward in the lengthy planning process.

The massive document contains details of environmental, landscaping, construction and infrastructure plans for the major development.

And, speaking from his headquarters in New York, Mr Trump declared: "This is another significant step towards our goal of building the world's greatest golf course and resort."

But opponents of the landmark scheme yesterday claimed that the weighty document appeared to "assume" the eviction of four families living on the edge of the Menie estate, who fear they could be thrown out of their homes to enable the development to proceed.

Martin Ford, the local councillor who has emerged as leading critic of the Trump resort, declared: "The question now is how long before Mr Trump renews his demands for compulsory purchase of residents' homes. The aerial view of the scheme appears to show a block of holiday flats built on top of one of the properties and a golf course swallowing up another."

He continued: "The homes in question do not belong to Mr Trump and the families living in them have stated clearly and repeatedly that their homes are not for sale.

"The assumption that somehow these homes can be swept away shows a complete disregard for the feelings and rights of those who live in them."

But Sarah Malone, vice-president of Trump International Golf Links Scotland, insisted: "Our position on compulsory purchase has not changed – it is an option of last resort within the Scottish planning process."

Ms Malone said the submission of the master plan marked the culmination of 14 months of intensive analysis and input from a wide range of specialist consultants and would establish a framework for the overall phased development of the site.

She explained: "The masterplan provides direction on how the project should be built and outlines the positioning, scale and materials of its buildings and spaces, and addresses landscaping, environmental and infrastructure requirements."

The first phase of the development being brought forward is the championship golf course designed by the renowned golf course architect Dr Martin Hawtree.

He explained: "The golf course follows a classic pattern of two out-and-back loops of nine holes. All 18 holes thread their way engagingly through the dunes, rising here to find views of the sea and coastline, plunging there into secluded valleys, offering a sequence of superlative topographies, landscapes, alternating between spaciousness and enclosure, then panoramic views, and the whole time a rich texture of vegetation and wild-life habitats surrounding the golf holes."

He added: "The golf course will lack for nothing. The landscape framework of the site comes close to an ideal. There is nothing missing and the layout as conceived would contain no weak holes. It will produce simply the most dramatic, stimulating, invigorating stretch of golf anywhere I have seen in my career."

A spokeswoman for Trump International said: "Detailed plans for the phase two and three of the development – the hotel and resort accommodation, and residential village – are currently under way and will be released in due course."

An Aberdeenshire Council spokesman said: "These documents are required as part of conditions outlined in the original planning consent, and will now be assessed by planners in consultation with various statutory bodies and others. Members of the public will also have the chance to view and comment on the plans."