In addition to Trump's £1bn development, 2 new courses by Paul Lawrie and Jack Nicklaus are planned. Further massive retail and leisure investment are also in the pipleine from local government.
Donland Trump's dream golf resort will spearhead a massive £3 billion investment bonanza in the North-east of Scotland, it was revealed yesterday. Work is expected to begin early next year to transform the Menie estate, on the Aberdeenshire coast, into the American tycoon's £1 billion golf and housing development.
But Aberdeen City and Shire Economic Future (Acsef), the private and public partnership that drives development in the region, has disclosed that, in addition to the ambitious Trump project near Balmedie, a further £2 billion of investment is in the pipeline for an area "the credit crunch forgot".
A total of £600 million in investment is already planned in retail, leisure and commercial developments, with a further £1.4 billion in potential developments expected to be injected into the area's economy.
And, in a further boost for the North-east economy, it was also announced yesterday that Scottish ministers have given the final go-ahead for another major golfing development in the area – two days after giving the green light to the Trump proposals.
They have approved the £115 million golf and housing development being planned by the Muir Group for the estate of the historic Blairs Seminary on the outskirts of Aberdeen.
The championship course at the Blairs site will be designed by Aberdeen's Paul Lawrie, the last British golfer to win a major championship – the Open in 1999. The development also includes a luxury hotel and a residential development of 280 homes.
John Muir, the chairman of the Muir Group, said: "I am thoroughly excited by the vision that can now be implemented in terms of enabling leisure and business tourism through a world-class hotel resort and a signature championship golf course by local golfing hero Paul Lawrie."
Rita Stephen, the Acsef development manager, said: "We are really now putting this area on the map as the Mecca for golf development. And on the back of that, clearly there are lots of opportunities for further tourism development."
A spokeswoman for Acsef explained that in addition to the Trump and Muir Group schemes, the area was also poised for a £40 million development at the Ury Estate, near Stonehaven, which will be the home of a Jack Nicklaus signature golf course and luxury hotel.
Other developments include a new £55 million headquarters for the global energy company the Wood Group plus the £250 million Union Square and £30 million City Wharf developments in Aberdeen. Rupert Lumsden, the laird of the Banchory and Leggart estate, has also announced plans for a £700 million urban village and business hub on the outskirts of Aberdeen.
Ms Stephen: "These new developments represent investment totalling over £600 million. "When coupled with Trump International Golf Links Scotland and other proposals such as Energetica – the proposed 30-mile energy lifestyle corridor – the total could be approaching £3 billion."
She added: "This signals a new era for the region that will secure our long-term vision."
From: Scotsman
