Trump to build 'greatest hotel' in Scotland if windfarm plan was scrapped

American business magnate, Donald Trump said yesterday that he was ready to build the greatest hotel Scotland had ever seen if Scottish National Party ministers rejected plans for a huge offshore windfarm.

He made the pledge as he arrived in the north-east to spend a few days at his championship course in Aberdeenshire.

But his visit also coincided withdrawal of objection by the Scottish Natural Heritage to the European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre – the fourth statutory body to do so in as many days.

Aberdeenshire councillors met yesterday to discuss changes to the £230-million plans, including an increase in height of the turbines and the diameter of the blades.

The local authority, that had been consulted by Marine Scotland on the development, was asked to consider the impact of the turbines on the character of the area as also noise and visual implications.

Trump has consistently argued against the development saying it would wreck the view for golfers playing his new course which opened in July 2011 at a cost of £100 million (See: US tycoon Donald Trump to bankroll anti-wind farm campaign in Scotland).