Celebrity real estate developer and avid golfer Donald Trump has been given the go-ahead to build what he says will be "the world's greatest golf course" in Scotland as part of a $1.5-billion development.
Despite some local opposition to the project, Aberdeenshire Council has granted the American tycoon, host of the popular reality TV show The Apprentice, full planning permission to build the championship links in the north-east of the country.
"My team will (now) finally get to work and build the world's greatest golf course for Scotland and for the great game of golf," Trump, 64, said in a statement.
"We are building on the finest piece of land I have ever seen and we will turn it into a national jewel," added Trump who owns several championship courses around the world.
His organisation said that more than £40-million (about R480-million) had already been invested in the Scottish project during four years of development.
The group added that it had gone through nine planning applications and a lengthy public inquiry and it was "widely accepted this project is the most scrutinised application in recent UK history".
The course is due to be completed in 2012 and a spokesperson said Trump was keen to host the British Open there in the future.
The building of the links is phase one of a £1 -billion development on the Menie estate, 10 kms north of Aberdeen, that Trump hopes will eventually include a hotel, resort accommodation and leisure facilities.
This year's 150th anniversary British Open will be played at the 'home of golf' in St Andrews in two weeks' time. - Reuters