Donald Trump will open a second golf course at his Scottish resort next year despite receiving heavy criticism from locals.
Players will be welcomed to the MacLeod Course – named after the former US president’s mother Mary – at the Trump International resort in Balmedie, Aberdeenshire from the summer of 2025.
The resort says the new 18-hole links will feature the ‘largest sand dunes in Scotland’ and form ‘the greatest 36 holes in golf’ alongside the original course, which opened in 2012.
The plans for the course were approved in 2019 alongside proposals for 550 new homes in the area north of Aberdeen – along with shops, offices and restaurants.
Trump International Golf Links had been involved in a long-running dispute with residents in the area over the project, leading to Aberdeenshire Council being bombarded with complaints when the plans were first announced.
Planners revealed it had received 2,921 valid representations from the public about the plan, 2,918 of which were objections and just 3 supported the Trump Organization application.
But despite the significant local opposition – and a lack of local support – the council approved the £150million plan.
Trump International claimed the new course was ‘one of the most environmentally friendly and sustainable’ ever built, as images show the course perched on the beach, yards from the North Sea.
Sarah Malone, executive vice president of Trump International Scotland, hailed the course as ‘one of the great wonders in the world of golf’.
She said: ‘Since breaking ground with President Trump and Eric Trump [his son] last spring, we have made extraordinary progress.
‘This course is unlike any other links course ever built and is exceeding every expectation.
‘A truly remarkable, world-class team of architects, engineers, environmental scientists and industry specialists have been working tirelessly in the background – etching out every square inch of this phenomenal piece of land to create one of the great wonders in the world of golf.’
The 18-hole MacLeod Course will open beside the original links, which opened in 2012 following a long, controversial planning process.
The original course attracted criticism over its location due to the special scientific significance of shifting sand dunes. But it was eventually approved by Scottish ministers.
Approval came despite criticism the scheme deviated from the original plans for the site, which included a 450-bedroom hotel as part of the first phase of the luxury golf resort.
The hotel has not been built, with current tourist accommodation limited to 21 rooms at MacLeod House and an accompanying lodge.
The council’s planning committee recommended the application for approval, however, stating it would ‘still result in development that will provide economic and social benefit to the local area and region’.
Mr Trump handed control of his golf empire to his sons when he became President in 2017 but retained a financial interest.
The company also owns courses at Turnberry, Ayrshire, and Doonbeg, Co Clare, Ireland.