Trump rejection 'would be tragic'

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A rejection of Donald Trump's £1bn Aberdeenshire golf resort plans would be "a tragedy for Scotland", according to the US tycoon's legal team.

Speaking on the final day of an inquiry, Colin Boyd QC accepted that the development would have "significant adverse effects" on the environment.

But he argued these would be outweighed by economic benefits.

Groups including Scottish Natural Heritage and the RSPB Scotland have made their opposition known.

Mr Boyd told the final day of the four-week inquiry into the billionaire's plans that they offered a "once in a lifetime opportunity" and warned that "we will not see its likes again".

Mr Trump wants to build two golf courses, a hotel and hundreds of homes on the Menie Estate in Aberdeenshire.

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

All we want now is for ministers to consider what is best for Scotland, not simply for the applicant Anne McCall RSPB 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.)

Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) described part of the sand dunes a "the jewel in the crown" among sites of their kind.

Anne McCall, head of planning and development at RSPB Scotland, said: "All we want now is for ministers to consider what is best for Scotland, not simply for the applicant, and to stand by their repeatedly stated strategic goals of delivering sustainable economic growth that puts this country's environment at its core."

But 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 that Mr Trump was not prepared to compromise on building on the SSSI.

Mr Trump gave evidence to the inquiry

He said: "If the applicants are to realise the vision of an exceptional world class course underpinning £1bn of investment, then the championship course needs to use the SSSI."

Mr Boyd said the applicant accepted the impact on natural habitats of the development, and that plans to preserve them by "translocating" them to another area would be a "challenge".

However, he added: "In my experience of my client, the word 'cannot' does not appear in his dictionary."

He went on to highlight potential economic benefits, citing "conservative estimates" of 1,200 jobs created in Scotland in the operation of the development.

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".

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.