Second course at Donald Trump’s Aberdeen resort gets go ahead

Plans to build a second golf course at an Aberdeenshire property owned by US president Donald Trump have been given the green light.

The MacLeod Course – named after Trump’s mother, Mary MacLeod, originally from Stornoway – will be built adjacent to the existing 18-hole championship course on the Menie Estate.

Aberdeenshire Council gave full planning permission for the second links on Friday afternoon subject to certain conditions and despite some local objections.

It is anticipated that the MacLeod Course will share the facilities currently used by the existing layout.

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Plans for the second course were first approved by local councilors by eight votes to four in September 2019. Since then, various campaigners had called for that decision to be overturned.

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However, the council planning department announced yesterday that it has granted the Trump Organisation full permission for the new course, which it says “will contribute towards the significant social and economic benefits expected to be delivered by the wider development proposals within the Menie estate”.

Shortly after the plans for the second course were first approved last year, councillors also rubber-stamped plans for 550 houses to be built at the Menie resort, as well as shops and food outlets.

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Dubbed ‘The Trump Estate’, the community will feature a variety of properties, ranging from cottages to larger homes costing more than £1m. It will also have its own town hall.

It is expected that the second course and the houses will be built concurrently.

The first course at the Menie Estate opened for play in 2012 and was designed by acclaimed golf course architect Martin Hawtree.