COLIN FARQUHARSON has been to meet NEIL HOBDAY, Project Director of the Donald Trump International Links multi-million pounds resort planned for the North-east of Scotland. We will be publishing articles from that interview on this website, one a week, for the next few weeks.
This is the first:

DONALD TRUMP LINKS IN PLAY
BY SPRING OF 2009, SAYS
PROJECT DIRECTOR HOBDAY

PROJECT director Neil Hobday (pictured right) today outlined what he believes is a realistic timetable for the Donald Trump International Links – and most of its massive infrastructure – to be in place and functioning at the Menie Estate, Balmedie, 12 miles north of Aberdeen.
“On Monday, November 27 we lodged our outline planning application.
In February of 2007, we will lodge three very significant reports to back that planning application. One is the environmental report, the second is the economic report and the third is the transport and infrastructure report. Those then will form the base of the planning application,” said Hobday who has been through the mill several times before.
Neil managed top European Tour players with both Mark McCormack’s International Management Group and Carnegie Sports International.
Later he led Lyle Anderson’s operational team in the development of Loch Lomond Golf Club and also advised on the opening of Kingsbarns Links.
“Planning committees normally have a strategy period of some three months to consider an application and their consultees’ views and reports. Then the planning committee of elected members sit down and hear it – and then they make a decision about it.
“This is a very big development and I wouldn’t be at all surprised if various consultees request more time. That’s understandable. It is a very big plan – the biggest mixed-use resort not only in Scotland but Europe - and we’ve done everything to ensure that we submit a very robust and responsible planning application.”
Hobday thinks that by next June, the Aberdeenshire Council planning committee will have reached the decision stage with regard to Donald Trump International Links planning application.”
“We have no doubt that there will be things in that decision that are conditions or things that we need to clarify, purify – whatever. There may have to be some negotiations,” he said.
“But, if we were able to put a shovel in the ground next July, then I think we would be playing golf in the spring of 2009. We would have the clubhouse built by then, and the maintenance facility, and the driving range and the practice facility ... and the associated infrastructure that goes with all that.”
But does the future of the Donald Trump Internationals Links project stand or fall, depending on whether or not permission is granted to build on the 1,400acre estate:
+Two championship links courses designed by Tom Fazio II.
+Golf driving range and short game practice area.
+A state of the art golf academy.
+A luxurious clubhouse with sea views.
+A 450-room five-star resort hotel with conference and banquet facilities.
+A full service spa.
+A turf grass research centre.
+Tennis courts and recreational facilities.
+Thirty-six luxury four and eight-bedroom golf lodges.
+Nine hundred and fifty holiday homes with sea views.

“Absolutely not. I think we are realistic enough to have applied for what we think we would like to have on the property but we will scale everything according to what we get out of the planning,” said Hobday.
“The response we’ve had from the North-east business community, the public and our neighbours has been so encouraging that we have very good vibes about this project.
“Mr Trump is a very shrewd individual. He does not go into things unless he feels there’s a strong sense of certainty that they are going to work out.
"We feel comfortable and confident that we will be building the best links golf course in the world on this property.”