Trump resort rejection 'a tragedy'

The rejection of Donald Trump's £1 billion golf resort plans would be a "tragedy for Scotland", the US tycoon's legal team has said.

Colin Boyd QC said the billionaire's plans offered a "once in a lifetime opportunity" and warned that "we will not see its likes again". He was speaking on the final day of a four-week public inquiry into Mr Trump's plans for the Menie Estate in Aberdeenshire.

In his closing submission, Mr Boyd accepted that environmentally the development would have "significant adverse effects". But he argued that these effects were outweighed by the economic benefits the development would bring nationally.

Mr Trump wants to build the "world's finest golf course", which would be capable of hosting the Open Championship. His resort would comprise two championship golf courses, a five-star hotel, 950 holiday homes and 500 private houses at the site north of Aberdeen.

The application was called in by the Scottish Government last year after an Aberdeenshire Council committee rejected it. Much of the opposition has come from environmental groups due to Mr Trump's insistence on building part of a course on delicate sand dunes - a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

On Thursday groups including the RSPB and Scottish Natural Heritage put their opposition to the inquiry in closing submissions. But on Friday Mr Boyd championed an "audacious proposal" which had been given the support of the business community, Aberdeenshire Council, and "thousands of ordinary people".

Mr Boyd told the inquiry at the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre that Mr Trump was not prepared to compromise on building on the SSSI. He said: "If the applicants are to realise the vision of an exceptional world-class course underpinning £1 billion of investment, then the championship course needs to use the SSSI."

He argued that where there had been conflict during the inquiry over environmental evidence, the submissions of Mr Trump's experts should be preferred.

Earlier, Murray Shaw, representing Aberdeenshire Council, said it supported the development "unequivocally". He said the council understood the environmental consequences, but recognised the "very clear and significant economic benefit".

Closing the inquiry, reporter Karen Heywood thanked all the parties for contributing to a debate about which "everyone feels very strongly". The inquiry reporters will now make recommendations to Scottish ministers, who are expected to make a decision on the application by the end of the year.