Blow to Trump's Aberdeen course plans

Donald Trump’s plans to expand his Aberdeenshire golf resort by building 2,750 new homes and holiday flats have suffered a big blow.

In a significant victory for Trump's opponents in Scotland, senior planning officials have rejected Trump’s bid to build a far less ambitious and cheaper version of the vast holiday and sports resort he originally fought for in 2008.

The officials appointed by Scottish government ministers to review Aberdeenshire’s development plan have decided Trump must adhere to his original plan for a major hotel, timeshare and sports complex – one he priced then at between £750m and £1bn.

They have recommended to Scottish ministers and the local council that Trump should also be told to build hundreds of affordable homes, a new primary school, other community facilities and a new roundabout on the main A90 road nearby at his own expense – as he had originally promised.

Trump should also be forced to accept “robust” environmental checks on the site because of its proximity to legally protected dunes, they said.

It will be interesting to see just how this one will play out. Will Trump stump up? We doubt it. And affordable housing, now he'll properly hate this idea. Expect this one to run and run.

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