Plans for a major golf resort on Deeside featuring a cookery school run by a top chef were in tatters last night after being rejected by Aberdeenshire councillors.
Developer Frank Burnett Ltd had billed the £100million project, which would have transformed Inchmarlo Golf Centre near Banchory and created hundreds of jobs, as the biggest tourism development on Royal Deeside in 100 years.
A luxury hotel, 125 homes and a Nick Nairn Cookery School all formed part of the plan.
The proposals were bunkered yesterday after councillors argued that they went against the local authority’s policy for building houses in the countryside.
Mr Nairn told the Press and Journal last night that he was disappointed with the vote but vowed to press ahead with his plans to open a school in the region.
He said: “This is just another setback and we’re still very keen to move forward, move on and see what we can do in the north-east.”
Stan Troup, chairman of Frank Burnett Ltd, said the company would be considering its options.
During yesterday’s full council meeting, Peter Argyle, councillor for Aboyne, Upper Deeside and Donside, tabled a motion calling for members to grant planning permission in principle, with approval delegated to council officers after consultation with the Marr area committee.
In the end, councillors voted 40-20 in favour of an amendment to refuse planning permission. Two councillors abstained.
Mr Argyle said they had been faced with a “unique application” that would boost the economies of not just Banchory but those across Deeside and Aberdeenshire.
Banchory councillors held split views on the proposal.
Jill Webster said: “This is an aspirational, forward-looking, high-quality, ambitious development for the area. But I keep asking myself whether it’s just an unjustified housing development.
“I would like to be assured of the deliverability of the hotel and community facilities first, or at least early on in the development process.”
Karen Clark made an impassioned plea for rejection of the scheme, saying the land earmarked for houses in the application had not been allocated for housing in the council’s development plan.
“This would be a major, major departure from our policy,” she said.
“It would be very alarming if we decided to rip up the newly-adopted plan before the ink is barely dry.”
Despite just 11 letters of objection to the proposal, she said, the views of her constituents should not be overlooked.
Concerns included the inadequacy of existing roads near the site, public transport limitations and the impact the development would have on residents’ views.
Speaking after the meeting, Mr Troup said: “We are obviously very disappointed. We see ourselves as local developers trying our best to deliver a scheme for the benefit of the area.
“We now have to go away, take stock and speak to the council about our options.”
Mr Nairn, whose first cookery school at Port of Menteith, near Stirling, has been a major success since opening in 2000, said: “We’ve hitched our wagon to Inchmarlo for a long time now and we always felt that the plan there was a perfect match for what it is we’re trying to do.
“I was up filming in Aberdeen last week and everywhere I went people were asking me when is a Nick Nairn Cookery School coming to the north-east.
“It’s certainly something we’re keen to do in the area and we wouldn’t rule out looking at someone nearer the city. Having said that, we also haven’t ruled out Inchmarlo, particularly if there is a prospect of an appeal for this development.”
Mr Nairn said his management team would meet today to plan their next steps.
Scottish Enterprise, which had thrown its weight behind the project, said it was surprised by the council vote.
Maggie McGinlay, regional director for Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire at the enterprise agency, said: “Tourism is a major economic opportunity for Aberdeen city and shire.
“Tourism-related investment, such as this proposed development, would serve to attract and meet visitors’ needs, as well as supporting local communities.
“Quality developments in locations within Deeside play a very important part in delivering visitor experiences around golf, tourism and general countryside access.”
She said recent research carried out for Scottish Enterprise into the opportunities for developing accommodation on Deeside and in Strathdon identified a need for niche resort in the eastern approach zone to Royal Deeside and the Cairngorms, from Banchory to Aboyne.”
Mr Troup had previously urged the Marr area committee, which first examined the plan, to think carefully before throwing out the proposal.
He claimed a precedent had been set by the approval of Donald Trump’s golf venture near Balmedie.
Marr councillors backed the plan 5-3 before it was referred to the full council.
Mr Troup’s vision for Inchmarlo also included a new clubhouse and restaurant, a 10-bay golf academy, sports pitches, squash and tennis courts and children’s play areas. Some 35 of the planned houses would have fallen into the “affordable” category.