Business organisations call for Trump resort plans to proceed

Business groups say refusal of US tycoon's £1bn Aberdeenshire development will damage Scottish investment prospects

Print article

Post to Facebook

Robert Church-Taylor

26 March 2008

Six key business organisations have signed a joint statement supporting Donald Trump’s £1bn Aberdeenshire golf course development.

They fear that if the plan does not succeed it could discourage other foreign investment in Scotland in the future.

The plans for the luxury golf resort include an eight storey hotel, 950 holiday homes, 37 luxury lodges and two championship quality golf courses.

Planning permission for the development was denied last year, on environmental grounds, as it was believed construction would endanger the local wildlife population and damage a delicate coastal sand-dune ecosystem.

However, the controversial planning application was reviewed by the Scottish government after its rejection at council level.

This has led to accusations of foul play after it emerged that Mr Salmond met Trump’s representatives the day before the Scottish government decided to ‘call in’ the application.

The First Minister has argued that as the development falls within his constituency, he was duty bound to meet representatives from both sides.

Opposition parties have called for an investigation into whether there has been any improper behaviour by those involved.

Apart from the involvement of the First Minister there has also been controversy surrounding the removal of Martin Ford, the Green Party councillor who cast the deciding vote, from his post as chairman of the Aberdeenshire planning committee.

Mr Ford accused the leaders of the ruling Liberal Democrat party of a "shabby backstreet assassination,"after he was removed from two other committees.

"The experience I am going through I find truly surreal. The nearest analogy I can find is that it is like being the victim of a political purge in a totalitarian regime."

There remains considerable pressure to overturn the planning decision because of the economic benefits business groups believe it would bring.

The organizations calling for the project to be granted permission include the British and Scottish Chambers of Commerce, the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), the Scottish Council for Development and Industry (SCDI), the Federation of Small Businesses and the Institute of Directors.

David Lonsdale assistant director of the CBI said: “We have consistently argued that Scotland's planning system ought to give far greater weight to the economic benefits of development."

Ian Armstrong, SCDI manager said: "The proposed development at Menie Estate by the Trump organisation can be a significant economic driver."

But Debra Storr, a local Lib Dem councillor, said: "It isn't the case that every business person wants this."