Time to move on with Menie project

THE pledge by Donald Trump not to request the use of compulsory purchase orders (CPOs) by Aberdeenshire Council on properties surrounding his development at Menie is a welcome move and one that should be used by both sides as a signal to move on.

Those who own the properties bordering the golf resort who feared they would be subjected to CPOs have now been assured that they can stay in their homes. They are also free to agree a fair deal with the Trump organisation to sell their properties. The choice is theirs alone.

The protest groups who have latched on to the property owners as a way of furthering their cause can now leave them in peace.

The development has planning permission, work has begun at the site and, within a few years, there should be a world-class visitor attraction and sporting venue to stimulate income and job creation in north Aberdeenshire.

The protesters have made their point, but there is nothing to battle against any more.

The painstakingly slow pace of progress at the Trump development has, at times, been an embarrassment for the north-east.

It is time now for both sides to unite in a bid to make the investment work for the good of the local economy and the countryside.

Opinions still count, but the interaction between those who opposed the development because of environmental concerns and the Trump organisation can now take on a more constructive tone.