‘Rejecting Trump plan would be a tragedy for area’
Tycoon’s QC in warning to inquiry
Published:
REJECTING Donald Trump’s Balmedie golf plan would be a “tragedy” for Scotland, the Government was warned today.
Mr Trump’s QC Colin Boyd told a public inquiry that the £1 billion resort was “truly a once in a lifetime opportunity”.
During his summing up, the former Lord Advocate for Scotland said: “We will not see its likes again. It would be a tragedy for Scotland if we let it pass by.”
On the last day of the four-week inquiry in Aberdeen, Mr Boyd admitted there were risks with using part of a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
He said: “In the well ordered world of development planning, we try and anticipate the future. Seldom however are we presented with such an audacious proposal.”
He said that in spending “huge sums of money”, Mr Trump was taking a risk.
Mr Boyd said: “As to the benefits, there are plenty to show that this is well understood – from the near unanimous support of the business community... to the thousands of ordinary people who have made representations.
“But the question is – what is Scotland prepared to invest? What risks do we take? Or are we merely passive players happy to take the benefits provided they come cost free with no risk?”
He told the inquiry reporters: “I do suggest that you can report to Scottish ministers that the golf course would be capable of one day hosting the Open Championship.”
Mr Boyd stressed that stabilising a tenth of the SSSI was essential to make the course the world-beater Mr Trump wants it to be. He said: “The applicants accept that there will be a significant loss of dynamism in parts of the dune system though they do not accept suggestions that the dunes will be destroyed or even that all the dynamic process will be destroyed.”
He said: “As you might appreciate, in my experience of my client, the word ‘cannot’ does not appear in his dictionary.”
Lord Boyd suggested there would be an opportunity to increase wildlife habitats.
Mr Boyd said the 500 houses “will assist the area to achieve the very considerable emerging shortfall in housing land supply”.
The public inquiry was also told it should be in no doubt Aberdeenshire Council was behind Mr Trump’s plan.
Council solicitor Murray Shaw said about the development: “There would be nothing like it in Europe.”
After the inquiry, councillor Martin Ford, who was sacked as Infrastructure Services Committee chairman after voting against the plan, said planning policy required social, economic and environmental benefits to all be in balance.
Mr Ford said improving one element did not “compensate” for the loss of another.
Inquiry chairman James McCulloch is expected to make his recommendation in the autumn. Finance Minister John Swinney will rule on the plan.
Readers' Comments
Thanx Mr Boyd for your comment, but we dont want to see the likes of any of you again anyway, goodbye!!
fiona hardie
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That would be the Royal 'we' then cos you certainly don't speak for the majority in the NE.
Andrew Buchan
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