PLANNING officers showed “bias” when they made the decision to recommend Donald Trump’s £1billion golf resort proposals, an objector group claimed yesterday.
John Agnew, representing Sustainable Aberdeenshire, accused officers at Aberdeenshire Council of backing the plans because they were scared Mr Trump would walk away if they did not.
Mr Agnew insisted there was no need to build 500 houses as part of the development, saying they had been added on for profit only.
And, speaking on the penultimate day of the public local inquiry, outdoor-access groups claimed the Trump Organisation had failed to appreciate Scotland's right-to-roam laws, or prepare for members of the public continuing to use Menie Estate.
First up was Mr Agnew, who questioned the actions of the local authority’s planning team, which is led by Christine Gore.
He claimed that the council had assumed its position in support of the 500 houses in the absence of any financial evidence to support its position.
“This amounted to bias arising from a fear that the development may not proceed without consent for the houses.”
Mr Agnew said it was “difficult to accept” the housing was needed to make the overall development profitable, quoting figures provided by the Trump Organisation which showed there would be a return of £21million without the housing development, compared to £112million if they were built.
He said: “It is plain that the 500 houses are not required for other elements of the application to proceed, and the 500 houses are added for the sole purpose of increasing income and the capital return by the open market houses.
“If the housing is considered to be a material consideration then . . . little if any weight can be given to it.”
Mr Agnew said it was accepted that “some economic benefits” would stem from the resort. But the plans were “beyond what is tolerable or acceptable” in terms of planning policies.
“In the absence of a very special circumstance and, or, a clear and accepted circumstance of national importance or need, then setting aside the development plan policies in this case cannot be justified.”
In their closing submission, the Ramblers' Association, Scotways and Local Access Forum claimed there had been insufficient understanding, or scrutiny, of the recreation interests of the site – borne out by Mr Trump's evidence on the opening day of the inquiry that gatehouses would be in place to restrict access.
Speaking on behalf of the access groups, Frances McCartney said: “It raises a real concern that the development proposed is not in accordance with the basis by which the public take access to land in Scotland.”
Ms McCartney said the lack of consultation with local and national organisations on issues of access was “surprising" and it was the view of the groups that the Trump Organisation had no clear understanding or recognition of the recreational value of the site, particularly for people gravitating northwards up the coast from the popular country park at Balmedie.”