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plans on course for trump development

It is now almost exactly four years since Donald J. Trump emerged from his black Boeing 727 at Aberdeen airport to reveal details of his proposals to build “the greatest golf course in the world” on the Menie Estate at Balmedie.

The flamboyant entrepreneur, perhaps best known for his American television show “The Apprentice,” revealed that his team had examined more than 200 sites across Europe but that nothing could compare with the dunes at Menie for the course he hopes will one day to attract the Open Championship.

He ambitiously predicted that by now golfers would be competing on the links but although the £1 billion project may have been delayed, not least because of the environmental controversy it attracted, the Trump dream is nearing fruition.

The final master plan for the development, 1000 pages long, has now been submitted and next week the public will have the chance to discuss the framework for the overall phased development of the site with members of the Trump team at an exhibition.

The master plan, which includes measures to satisfy the conditions applied by outline planning consent, provides direction on how the project should be built and outlines the positioning, scale and materials of its buildings and spaces. It also addresses landscaping, environmental and infrastructure requirements.

As part of the master-planning process a large number of surveys and plans were commissioned which form part of the submission including detailed environmental, landscaping, construction and infrastructure plans.

The first phase of the development is the championship golf course designed by Dr. Martin Hawtree for which detailed plans have now been submitted.

The golf course follows a classic pattern of two out-and-back loops of nine holes. All 18 holes thread their way through the dunes.

Dr Hawtree said: “The golf course will lack for nothing. The landscape framework of the site comes close to an ideal. There is nothing missing and the layout as conceived would contain no weak holes. It will produce simply the most dramatic, stimulating, invigorating stretch of golf anywhere I have seen in my career.”

Sarah Malone, Executive Vice President of Trump International Scotland, said: “This is a defining moment because this is the proposal we are putting forward and the first detailed proposal for phase one which is the championship golf course and there will be many other detailed applications for every other component.”

The Trump organisation has so far failed to secure agreement with some property owners within the boundaries of the development and Ms Malone said they were focused on developing Phase One, on which work has already begun.

“The other parcels of land which we have expressed an interest in do not impact on the championship golf course in any way and the lines of communication are still open and we will see what the future holds.”

Gareth Hoskins, director, Gareth Hoskins Architects, the master plan architect said: “The past 14 months have seen a huge amount of work and engagement with Aberdeenshire Council and both local and national consultees such as Architecture and Design Scotland. This has involved input from a wide range of specialist consultants to create an overall design strategy that works carefully with the different types of landscape setting found within the overall site. “Importantly the master plan establishes a framework for both the resort and residential community that is about creating well designed places and ensuring ease of movement and accessibility both for the surrounding communities and the wider public. The team is now looking forward to taking forward the detailed design of the different elements of the development.”

The exhibition is at the Udny Arms Hotel, Main Street, Newburgh is open to the public on Friday, March12, from 10am to 7pm and Saturday, March 13 from 10am to 5pm.