Trump Course Approved

[EchtLoon]

At long last the Donald has had his planning application approved by the Scottish Exec.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/north_east/7700074.stm

US tycoon Donald Trump's controversial £1bn golf resort plans for the Aberdeenshire coast have been approved.

Mr Trump's plan to build a resort featuring two golf courses, as well as homes at Menie, has caused business and environmental division for two years.

The plan was called in by the Scottish Government after an Aberdeenshire Council committee rejected it.

Finance Secretary John Swinney backed it after a public local inquiry. Mr Trump said he was "greatly honoured".

First Minister Alex Salmond also hailed the news.


Many business leaders have backed the plans.

However, groups including Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and RSPB Scotland opposed the project, due to Mr Trump's plans to build part of a course on sensitive sand dunes.

Mr Trump said: "We are greatly honoured by the positive decision and believe that the people of Scotland will be extremely happy with the final product.

"It will be a tremendous asset and source of pride for both Aberdeenshire and Scotland for many generations.

"I would like to personally thank the thousands of people and organisations who have supported us throughout this process. As I have often said, because of the quality of the land we are given to work with, we will build the greatest golf course in the world."

Mr Swinney had committed on 15 October to make a final decision within 28 days of receiving the inquiry report, which was a deadline of on, or before, 12 November.

 

[SammmeBee]

It was always going to happen with the financial input into the area and jobs, housing etc - just a case of more civil servants making up work to justify their exsistance....

Waterproof sales should be good in the shop too when it gets built......

 

[USER1999]

Inevitable really. It was more a question of when, not if.

 

[Smiffy]

Trouble is, it will be £200.00 a round

 

[StuartD]

As soon as the Scottish Government got involved it was always going to happen.

This will be another new course that will price itself outwith the average Scottish golfer at around £120 a round. I wonder how many of them will survive in the current climate

 

[SammmeBee]

It not about the golf course though - all the money is in the houses (mind you that ain't looking too good now)....they need the courses to sell the houses....

Ireland have been using that model for the last 5+ years.....but the Guinness is not quite as tasty in Aberdeen ....

 

[viscount17]

How long before the US PGA play a 'major' here as an 'american course'

 

[EchtLoon]

As soon as the Scottish Government got involved it was always going to happen.

This will be another new course that will price itself outwith the average Scottish golfer at around £120 a round. I wonder how many of them will survive in the current climate

Not aimed at the locals though, it's a tourist course.

 

[birdieman]

Some strange comments above.
Weather -Aberdeen area lies in a rain shadow and is very dry, they also get a lot of sunshine. It can be cold yes but waterproofs are not required generally. Check this website to garner some informed meterological opinions if you southerners even know where Aberdeen is - http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/education/secondary/students/bi_climate.html
It is good winter golf country as it's free draining linksland.
American course? - Balmedie has fantasic high dunes, these courses will be superb linksland right up there with some of the best UK links - Trump didn't pick this area to build an American style course, he wants to build and market the best links course in the world for business but moreso because he loves golf and has a Scottish granny or something!
I suspect like Kingsbarns it will look 'bedded in' and established very quickly.
Scotland depends on tourism, golf tourism is part of that so the economists realised they can't turn their noses up at that kind of investment even if some compromise is made to bird habitats in the area. They should be able to work in reasonable harmony with birdlife if they don't overdo the housing element.
I am sure there will be a Kingsbarns style 'local rate' for Scottish club golfers at Balmedie - the developers will realise that. Something like £60 a game probably.
There are plenty of great ales in Scotland, so whilst the Guiness may not be as good in Aberdeen, try some Caledonian 80 or Deuchars IPA or maybe some really good whisky instead.
As for golf the coastline from Fife through Angus and up into Aberdeenshire, then into Moray, Nairn then Highland has some of the finest links tracks including Montrose medal, Royal Aberdeen, Murcar, Cruden Bay, Fraserburgh, Nairn, Moray, Royal Dornoch etc etc.
Despite the doubters I reckon these 2 courses will be 'must play' venues in no time and am happy to have them about an hour away from me!!!
I predict a GM staff v forumers match there soon as GM must review it when it opens!!

 

[StuartD]

As soon as the Scottish Government got involved it was always going to happen.

This will be another new course that will price itself outwith the average Scottish golfer at around £120 a round. I wonder how many of them will survive in the current climate

Not aimed at the locals though, it's a tourist course.

With seven or eight of these new "tourist rate" courses poping up around the country how many tourists are going to play them all? The current financial climate is global and therefore visitor levels are likely to fall. Tourism levels have fallen significantly in Scotland this year (although not sure how golf has been affected) As birdieman (or is it weatherman now) says they might put in a cheaper rate for Scottish club members. Kingsbarns was forced into this as their tourist numbers have not been that great over the last couple of years.

 

[birdieman]

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=h...I7GGIK%26sa%3DN

Have a look at this link then click on the 'gallery' link, flick through the pics of Balmedie and tell me golf shouldn't be played here - it looks potentially fantastic, doesn't it?
For anyone who's played the front 9 at Royal Aberdeen - they'll understand!

photo no. 23 is a gem!

 

[Smiffy]

Despite the doubters I reckon these 2 courses will be 'must play' venues in no time

I don't doubt that they will be "must play" courses.
But then, so is Loch Lomond.

 

[Cernunnos]

this getting the go ahead is confimation that money talks...figuritively speaking that is. Never heard my last £5 note talking to me from my walet. But perhaps you need a bit more money to get it talking rofl.

 

[birdieman]

Don't know much about Loch Lomond Golf - is it not a members only club like The Grove?
I'm sure Balmedie is to be for the paying public (albeit tres expensive)?

 

[Smiffy]

Just visited the Loch Lomond club website and looked at some of the members.
Faldo, Lehman, Els, Montgomerie to name just four.

I wouldn't fancy mixing it with three of them in the Wednesday afternoon stableford so I'm not going to join.

 

[viscount17]

oh aye, some stunning shots, and 26(?) is your half-way hoose?

it may just be cynical old me but I could envision buggy tracks all over and unsuitably clad and overloud tourists; if they could get past the friends of the peewit commando

 

[USER1999]

The Grove is pay and play. No membership, just book a tee time, and bring your biggest wallet.

 

[Dodger]

great news,as birdieman says the land just cries 'golf course' to me.I think it will end up a superb place and look forward to it.

 

[Dodger]

and to carry on from the questions re price or if it will be a private club read this link.......

http://www.top100golfcourses.co.uk/htmlsite/story.asp?id=200

Maybe Loch Lomond may open up and let people play in an attempt to recoup some much needed coin??

 

[RGuk]

OK, so despite being an important SSSI, the offer was too good to refuse.
I couldn't care less about the course or the man (no, really). What I do care about though is the local economy and the local folk. If it's good for them, I approve.
I don't know whether to celebrate or cry.....the more exclusive courses that can't balance the books, maybe the better (?) I might get to play a few.
A bit like posh dining, 5 star hotels and luxury cars....it's all pointless and irrelevent to my life....

If it wasn't in a beautiful country with good people I'd happily drop a bomb on it and rid the world of the same overpaid and self-glorifying money hogs that are making life so impossibly difficult (making more and more money from "whatever" they do) for the average man in the street

I almost got in a fight with a man on Saturday at a dinner party......he was saying how "frightened" he was about the property market. Silly arse lives in Walsall and owns 23 flats in Edinburgh......he can afford to Golf at the Belfry and Kingsbarns (he's utterly s*** and shouldn't even be allowed to grace these course i.m.o)....
what? and I'm supposed to feel sorry for him.....

RANT-TASTIC. Power to the people....