Trump's plan for new homes in Scotland backed by officials

Controversial proposal for 550 luxury homes near golf club recommended for approval

Severin Carrell Scotland editor
Wed 20 Mar 2019 14.46 GMT

Planners in Aberdeenshire have backed Donald Trump’s controversial plans to build up to 550 luxury homes near his golf course, despite a record number of objections.

The council’s planning officers said the scheme, due to be built in phases at a cost of around £25m, had “considerable merit” for the local economy and recommended that it is approved by the council next month, subject to conditions.

But the US president’s opponents furiously accused planners of overlooking more than 20,000 objections, including those from the local community council, transport officials and 18,722 people who signed a petition organised by the online platform 38 Degrees.

Cllr Martin Ford, Trump’s most prominent critic on the council, said the proposals ignored the promises made in 2008 when Trump first won permission to build a £750m golfing and holiday resort on the site, overriding legal protections for its rare coastal dunes.

Ford said the 2008 masterplan was being used as a Trojan horse to allow Trump to build a profitable housing estate, without any of the the extra jobs, amenities and investment he promised. The housing plans also breached a series of conditions in the local development plan, he said.

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