Donald Trump is facing unprecedented criticism from a Scottish council for repeatedly breaching planning rules at his controversial golf resort.
The US tycoon, who visited Scotland earlier this month, has applied for planning permission with Aberdeenshire Council five times in the last 18 months for construction work already carried out. He is being asked to submit a sixth request for retrospective permission.
The applications for Menie Estate on the Aberdeenshire coast include a car park, a temporary clubhouse, two 21-bedroom guesthouses with, offices, a fountain, two illuminated signs and a large earthen embankment.
Though five have been approved, the sixth remains outstanding. Since his £750-million resort was given planning permission in November 2008, Aberdeenshire Council has been an unswerving supporter of Trump's golfing developments.
But a recent meeting of the council's Formartine Area Committee agreed to write to the Trump Organisation to express "dissatisfaction with the number of retrospective planning applications".
"It is highly unusual for a developer to so obviously ignore planning legislation time and time again with serial breaches requiring action," said the committee's vice-chair, independent councillor Paul Johnston.
Cllr Johnston opposed Trump's latest retrospective application for a car park, lighting and large embankment, arguing the impact on resident, Susan Munro, and her family was "unacceptable". But the majority of the committee agreed permission could be granted as long as the lighting was reduced and embankment lowered.
Mrs Munro said when it rained there was now nowhere for the water to go and her house was in danger of being flooded. "We're just imprisoned now," she said. "Trump is so arrogant he thinks that with all his money and power he can do what he likes, and the council just seem to kow-tow to him."
George Sorial, the Trump Organisation's executive vice-president, said: "We have never built without permission and enjoy a strong working relationship with the council's planning department."
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