Donald Trump triumphs in Scotland

The huge public relations campaign mounted by US real estate tycoon Donald Trump to push through his controversial plans to create a £1bn golf resort in Aberdeenshire has finally paid off. The Scottish Government today gave the project the green light.

Although supported by business, the plan was initially rejected outright by the local council. Other objectors included Scottish Natural Heritage and Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (Scotland), who oppposed the project due to Trump's plans to build part of a course on sensitive sand dunes.

But Trump is not a man to be easily defeated. As reported here, he made a personal visit to Scotland in June to win the hearts and minds of the locals. He also paid a trip to his family's former homestead - his grandmother was from the island of Lewis - to further his case for the resort, which includes an eight-storey, five-star hotel, 950 timeshare apartments and two championship golf courses. All this went down well. However, he was miffed that one of his claims - that the development was a tribute to his mother - aroused only mirth among the journalists who reported his spiritual homecoming.