DONALD Trump is ready to put a huge chunk of his north-east estate up for sale – and has abandoned his bid to bring a major golf tournament to Aberdeenshire.
The tycoon has outline permission to build nearly 1,500 homes around his championship course at Menie but his son, Don jun, revealed last night that the land could now be sold off. The Trump Organisation is furious at the Scottish Government’s decision to approve a £230million experimental windfarm off the coast of Aberdeen, with Mr Trump arguing it would ruin the views from his golf course.
The decision was upheld by the Court of Session earlier this week – prompting the billionaire to turn his attentions to Ireland, where he has just bought a new resort.
Yesterday, he scrapped plans to build a second course at Menie and Mr Trump jun told the Press and Journal last night that no more money would be invested in the site, other than to keep the existing course operating.
That means the end of plans to complete the resort with 950 holiday homes and 500 houses.
“Maybe we will sell it (the housing land) to a developer that can build housing,” he said. “We can offload that part and let someone else deal with it.
“The golf course is not for sale – it will remain part of the Trump portfolio. But we will not be investing in the other parts of the project.”
Luring an Open Championship or Ryder Cup to Menie would require huge investment in infrastructure – and that is money Mr Trump is no longer willing to spend, according to his son.
“Attracting a big tournament requires a lot of investment in infrastructure and a permanent clubhouse.
“They need money, which we were willing to spend before, but we will now divert this effort elsewhere.”
The offshore windfarm plans have driven a wedge between Mr Trump and First Minister Alex Salmond, who were once the best of friends.
Mr Trump has said previously that the SNP leader’s intervention when his Menie Estate proposals were bunkered by councillors was a major factor in his decision to stay and fight.
He even said he wanted the politician to open the course. However, he has since engaged in a war of words with the Aberdeenshire East MSP over wind energy.
He claims the first minister gave him assurances that Vattenfall’s European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre (EOWDC) – the 11-turbine windfarm in Aberdeen Bay – would never go ahead.
Mr Salmond has always vehemently denied this.
Speaking from the five-star Doonbeg resort in Ireland, which the Trump Organisation has just bought for £12.5million, Mr Trump jun took a further swipe at the way he and his father had been treated.
“We did the deal to move to Ireland in six days,” he said. “You can’t tie your laces in six days in Scotland.
“The Scottish Government and the councils in the north-east of Scotland have big questions to answer. Why have they allowed two inward investors – ourselves and Vattenfall – to get involved in a fight like this?
“Ultimately, they could lose both projects because we won’t be spending any more money and there is no guarantee that the EOWDC will go ahead.”
A Scottish Government spokesman dismissed the comments last night. “The reality is investor confidence in Scotland is at peak levels,” he said.
“The Ernst and Young Attractiveness Survey showed Scotland to be the most attractive destination within the UK after London and the south-east for inward investment.”
A spokeswoman for Trump International said: “I can confirm that the second golf course application has been withdrawn in line with Mr Trump’s statement earlier this week.
“We have a phenomenal golf property in the north-east of Scotland, including our recently launched boutique house hotel, MacLeod House and Lodge, which is thriving and we will continue to protect this investment.
“But, as Mr Trump has said for the last few years, he will not invest further while the threat of wind turbines remains a possibility.”