Trump unveils fresh plans for Menie course

Published on Thursday 16 July 2009 22:01

DONALD Trump has unveiled fresh plans for his £1 billion golf course development in Aberdeenshire.

The Trump Organisation's "zoning masterplan" sets out an architect's vision of where various parts of the project will sit within the site – including the two golf courses, a 450-bedroom hotel and housing.

The tycoon's organisation has sent letters to the owners of five properties on about 100 acres of land next to the Menie Estate, near Balmedie, Aberdeenshire, with offers to buy them out.

These properties are marked with red dashes on the masterplan. The owners, who include Michael Forbes, the campaigning opponent of the plans, fear the approach is the first step towards a bid by the Trump empire to seek the council's support in seizing their land through compulsory purchase orders.

David Milne, who owns Hermit Cottage, a former Coastguard station, previously described the bid as a "bullying tactic" and pledged to ignore the offer.

Yesterday, he said he had had no further contact with Trump International and had not been shown the plans.

George Sorial, Mr Trump's managing director for the Menie project, told The Scotsman he was confident "mutually beneficial" deals to buy their land could be struck in the near future.

"We have had very meaningful discussions with four of the landowners and I am optimistic that over the next month or two we will agree mutually beneficial deals.

"Obviously, no-one is excluded from this process and we are optimistic about reaching satisfactory conclusions with all of them." He said the door was always open for Mr Milne and Mr Forbes to discuss an offer.

The latest plans have been published two months after the Trump Organisation was accused of dragging its feet by failing to submit any detailed proposals for the project.

Mr Trump's plans to build "the best golf course in the world" at Menie have been mired in controversy since being announced in April 2007.

The plan, for two golf courses with nearly 1,500 housing units, was rejected by Aberdeenshire Council, which cited issues regarding wildlife, before being called in and approved by the Scottish Government.

Conservationists were outraged that ministers allow the project to encroach on the Foveran links, naturally shifting sand dunes designated a site of special scientific interest by the European Union.