US property tycoon Donald Trump has clashed with the councillor whose vote led to the rejection of his £1 billion golf resort plans.
The billionaire was accused by Aberdeenshire councillor Martin Ford of showing "little understanding" of certain details of his application. Mr Trump responded by saying: "No-one has ever told me I don't know how to buy property before. I appreciate that."
He was speaking at the first day of a local public inquiry into his plans to create the golf resort at the Menie Estate in Aberdeenshire. Mr Trump faced questions throughout the day from a number of environmentalists.
At a press conference immediately after he had finished giving evidence at the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre, he said the questions from his opponents "weren't very good".
Mr Trump wants to build a development with two championship golf courses, a five-star hotel and hundreds of houses. Part of the course would be built on delicate sand dunes - a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
Mr Ford's casting vote as chairman of Aberdeenshire Council's infrastructure services committee led to the plans being rejected last year, before the application was called in by the Scottish Government.
Mr Ford, who was subsequently sacked as chairman, told Mr Trump he was "a bit surprised" that the tycoon had seemed unsure that the dunes were designated as SSSI when he bought the land.
At the press conference, Mr Trump said he "really enjoyed" the experience. He said: "I listened to the questions from the few opponents we had, and honestly, the questions weren't very good. Right now we would be 75% complete. It is unfortunate, but often I find great things take more time."
David Tyldesley, of the RSPB, suggested that Mr Trump's original vision had been to create a "world class course" but not necessarily the world's best. Mr Trump said: "Let me make it clear so we can perhaps save some time. I am looking to build the finest golf course in the world if given the chance to do it."
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Mr Tyldesley said: "I don't doubt that it's an aspiration but can I put it to you that it is only a recent aspiration in order to justify the use of SSSI." Mr Trump replied: "That is absolutely false - the moment I saw the site I thought it had the potential to be the greatest golf course in the world."
