The Trump Organization’s plans to significantly expand its flagship Scottish resort by building rolls of housing and luxury villas have been thwarted, further jeopardizing the us President’s company’s efforts to rein in multimillion-dollar losses in its prestigious overseas properties.

Donald trump’s firm wanted to significantly increase the area of Its trump Turnberry resort, and his son Eric personally oversaw plans to build new housing on land surrounding the historic Golf course.

The trump organization has engaged architects in an effort to rezone farmland for development, pointing to the firm’s” excellent track record of investment “in the region and describing the proposals as”very positive for the region.”

The US President has previously boasted that he has the power to build up to a thousand homes around Turnberry, but in a significant blow to any such bold ambitions, the Council’s proposed new local development plan (LDP2) also sets a policy of restricting development in Turnberry due to its status as a significant tourist attraction and once the host of the prestigious open Golf championship.

The Scotsman revealed last October how Mr Trump’s firm had enlisted Covell Matthews, an Aberdeen-based architectural practice, in the hope of convincing South Ayrshire Council to allow land it owns to be used for what it called a “logical extension” to Turnberry.

It earmarked part of Mr Trump’s landholdings on the site for a housing development of 87 units and an unspecified number of villas.

Covell Matthews promised that if adjacent properties were included in LDP2, the Trump Organization would seek full planning permission immediately to begin construction work.

‘Alternative accommodation’

It is not known how much the Trump Organization spent on the expansion in Turnberry, or the price range of the homes it hoped to build. Based on the average cost of a house in South Ayrshire, the scale of the development suggests it would have cost upwards of £ 15 million.

The sale of private housing was seen as a key avenue to generate revenue at a world-renowned resort that has been struggling under Mr Trump’s ownership.

Since it acquired it in 2014, Turnberry’s parent firm has suffered four consecutive years of losses, amounting to almost 33 million euros. It is also dependent on £ 107 million in interest-free loans provided by the 73-year-old.

Correspondence obtained by the Scotsman through the Environmental information (Scotland) Regulations 2004 shows that the trump Organization has properties reflecting the ” continued quirky spirit of the city.” The houses will vary in size and type, and feature “large private gardens”.

In another letter sent to Covell Matthews, Omar stated: “the site’s Vision is to develop more villas to support the hotel’s operations and provide customers with alternative accommodation options.”

The firm pointed to the Trump Organization’s” excellent track record of investing in the area “and said the luxury villas”create an obvious requirement for Trump Turnberry to hire more employees, which would be very positive for the area.”

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At the time, Ralph Porciani, Turnberry’s General Manager, told the Scotsman that the resort’s previous owners had tried to develop the land in question, but he expected the trump organization to win where others had failed.

He explained: “What Eric (trump) did last year is the area he thinks is most appropriate for this and basically notifies the Council that this is our plan.”

Mr Porciani added: “Turnberry Does want to do it? 100 percent Yes. The trump organization has him on its radar and is very excited.

‘Negative impact’

“This is land that is used for the odd bit of grazing. We rent the land to the farmer to keep it going, he just sits there ticking. I hope it will be welcomed and we can do it because I think it will bring a lot to the area.”

However, the recently published draft LDP2 plan, which is currently subject to consultation, confirms that the proposed sites will remain zoned as Prime agricultural land deemed unsuitable for housing.

LDP2 includes a proposed new policy aimed at protecting key tourist sites in the region, which makes clear that any proposed development around Turnberry will face an uphill battle.

“We will protect existing Golf courses and will encourage the development and improvement of Golf facilities,” it said. “We generally do not allow for developments that, in my opinion, could adversely affect the status of Turnberry and Royal Troon as an Open championship venue.”

She said: “Our planning Department reported that the sites were assessed against a range of environmental and planning criteria, along with other alternative site submissions made in response to the main issues of the consultation report. It was concluded that they should not be recommended for release through LDP2.”

The publication of the proposed plan comes as the House oversight and reform Committee in the US Congress investigates us military payments at Turnberry and nearby Glasgow Prestwick airport.

In a June 2016 interview with Reuters, Mr Trump boasted that he had the right to create a major housing development at Turnberry, but said his focus at the time was on his fledgling political career.

He described his portfolio of Golf courses as “not exactly Golf investments” but “development deals,” explaining: “I have the right to build thousands of homes on the various properties I own and I didn’t want to build them because, frankly, I was busy doing other things like running for President.

‘Thousands of housing units’

“It’s pretty simple. My Golf holdings are really investments in thousands, many thousands of housing units and hotels. At some point, the company will make them. I hope I won’t, because I’ll be President, but we’re in no hurry to make them.”

In the interview, which coincided with the reopening of Turnberry after an extensive refurbishment, Mr Trump added: “I would have the right to build at least a thousand houses on Turnberry, if I wanted to, again, if I wanted to. Now I’m doing something much more important than building houses.”

While its purchase of Turnberry attracted international media coverage, less well known is the fact that it simultaneously acquired a sprawling expanse of land North and East of the historic links course.

The plots he hoped to use for housing are part of about 200 acres of land, which includes a disused airstrip that was part of RAF Turnberry during both world wars, and a cluster of outbuildings

The Scotsman asked trump Turnberry and the Trump Organization if the decision would affect his plans for future investments in Turnberry, and whether he planned to appeal the exclusion of sites to LDP2.

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