Trump 'worst planning decision'

Mr Trump believes it will be the world's greatest course

Donald Trump's £1bn golf resort project in Aberdeenshire has been voted the worst planning decision in the 2009 Carbuncles Awards.

The development at Menie was criticised for putting "commercial thinking" over a "beautiful stretch of coastline".

Aberdeenshire Council's infrastructure services committee rejected the plan before Scottish ministers stepped in and gave the development the go-ahead.

Mr Trump's spokesman said it would be the greatest golf course on Earth.

Gordon Young, who edits Prospect and the Architecture Scotland website, the organisation behind the awards, said: "We fully appreciate the economic arguments of allowing this scheme to go ahead and we note some good architects are now on board to ensure a reasonable standard of design.

"However, our built environment seems to be getting increasingly influenced by purely commercial thinking.

"Glasgow Harbour, Leith Docks - and now this beautiful stretch of coastline - have apparently all been surrendered by public bodies to hard-nosed developers; a trend which is having a negative effect on the built environment."

He said: "What is the point of establishing planning principles and designating areas, like the location of Trump's development, as a Site of Special Scientific Interest if the rules are simply ripped up every time somebody gets their cheque book out?"

George Sorial, project executive for Trump International Golf Links, said: "Everyone knows what we intend to do at Menie is build the greatest golf course on Earth. The Carbunkle Award is only satire and a joke."