10/06/2008 02:36:00
US tycoon Donald Trump, who claimed he wanted to build the "world's greatest golf course" in Aberdeenshire, has rejected accusations that he did so in order to justify building it on environmentally susceptible land in an inquiry today.
The inquiry, requested by Scottish ministers in Holyrood, Edinburgh, was launched in reaction to an Aberdeenshire Council's refusal of Trump's plans on the grounds that the land for his proposed golf course included sand dunes, which are a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
Trump attended the start of the inquiry, where he was questioned by environmental groups at the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre.
According to the BBC, David Tyldesley, of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, stated that Mr Trump's claim was only released in order to justify building it on SSSI. He said that the intention to build the best golf course in the world was merely "a recent aspiration" so that Trump could access the land.
Mr Trump's response was to dismiss Mr. Tyldesley's claims as false, stating "the moment I saw the site I thought it had the potential to be the greatest golf course in the world" and that the intention was not a new one.
The American business giant's appearance in the north of Scotland was announced last week, when he made assurances that he was "totally committed to appearing", in order to defend his development plans after they were rejected at the end of 2007.
This morning, he briefly visited his mother's birthplace in Tong, on the Isle of Lewis, before travelling to Aberdeen.
Aberdeenshire is an increasingly popular hotspot for golf courses in Scotland. Earlier this year, a council in Aberdeenshire accepted proposals for a golf course designed by Scottish golf pro Paul Lawrie, the last British golfer to win a major tournament - the 1999 Open, which was held in Carnoustie in Angus.