Aberdeen City Council leaders call for Aberdeenshire Council re-think on Trump golf plan
03/12/07
The leadership of Aberdeen City Council today wrote to Aberdeenshire councillors, urging them to do all they can to get the proposed Trump golf resort scheme back on track.
The letter to all 68 Shire councillors has been jointly signed by Aberdeen Lord Provost Peter Stephen, City Council Leader Councillor Kate Dean and Deputy Leader Councillor Kevin Stewart.
The move has been triggered by last week’s decision by the Shire’s Infrastructure Services Committee to reject the Trump Organisation’s planning application for a golf development on the Menie Estate near Balmedie.
The City Council’s Planning Committee wholeheartedly and unanimously supported the scheme when it was put to Aberdeen City Council in the summer as a statutory consultee.
The City Council was dismayed by the rebuff from the Shire committee last week and is now urging Shire councillors to reconsider the decision.
The text of the letter, which has been sent to all the Shire’s elected members, is as follows:
Dear colleagues,
We are writing to urge you to do everything in your power to reconsider the decision of last Thursday’s Infrastructure Services Committee to reject the Trump Organisation’s planning application for a major golf resort development near Balmedie.
The City and Shire together are striving to develop and diversify our North-east economy.
Aberdeen city councillors unanimously and wholeheartedly supported the development when it came before our Planning Committee for consultation.
We did so because we believe the proposed Trump development offers the perfect platform for our region to grow the tourism sector, which will be so important for our shared future.
The golf course and their associated hotel and holiday homes would put us on a par with world-renowned golfing destinations like Augusta in the USA and Valderrama in Spain.
The spin-offs for the rest our economy would be enormous. We cannot afford to turn our backs on this golden opportunity to put Aberdeenshire and Aberdeen firmly on the map as a major destination for people from all over the world.
We have together, Aberdeen City and Shire, made bold decisions in the past to guarantee the growth our region, like approving the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route.
Now is the time to look to the future and ensure that this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity is grasped for the benefit of every citizen in the North-east and of Scotland as a whole.
Yours,
Aberdeen Lord Provost Peter Stephen
Aberdeen City Council Leader Kate Dean
Aberdeen City Council Deputy Leader Kevin Stewart
