Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee, 05 Dec 2007

Meeting date: Wednesday, December 5, 2007

Official Report 243KB pdf

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Golf Tourism (Aberdeenshire Council Decision)

Agenda item 3 is on Aberdeenshire Council's recent decision in relation to golf tourism. In discussion with the clerks, I thought that it would be useful to raise the issue briefly, although we have been overtaken somewhat by last night's welcome decision by the Scottish ministers to call in the proposed development. The committee's interest is in the wider impact of such an enormous development for Scotland. Members from the north-east of Scotland will have strong views about the proposal, but the committee will take a pan-Scotland view on it. Subject to members' views, I suggest that we write to the Government to stress the Scottish implications of that scale of development, particularly given the inquiry that we are about to conduct on tourism. That seems to me to be an appropriate level of interest, but I am happy to open up the matter for debate.

Your suggestion is eminently sensible, convener. I am grateful that you put the matter on the agenda. The proposed development has major national tourism implications. From briefings that I received recently from Scottish Enterprise Grampian, I am aware that the development will be a big contributor, in the north-east and in the Scottish context, to the aim of a 50 per cent uplift in tourism revenues by 2015. I am concerned that if the development does not go ahead, that will deliver an international message that Scotland is not the kind of place to come and invest in. Therefore, we should write to the Government along the lines that you suggest, convener.

I agree. The bigger picture is the message that Scotland sends out to the world about business and our ability to take opportunities when they arise. It is striking that a committee of the local council considered the proposal and recommended support, but when the matter went to a sub-committee it rejected the proposal and the council discovered that it did not have the power to review a decision of one of its sub-committees. That is clearly a flaw—the council has devolved decision making to the point at which the authority as a whole has no authority over some of its decisions. Aberdeenshire Council and its leaders acknowledge that that is one issue that has come out of the tale.

I hope that the case is an object lesson for everybody about the mobility of capital in the 21st century. An organisation such as the Trump Organization, which genuinely wants to invest in Scotland, has other options available to it. When Donald Trump indicated this week that he does not intend to appeal the decision, that was not because of any disrespect for our procedures; it was simply a practical consideration about whether he should submit the application and go through a one or two-year process or take his intentions elsewhere.

As well as write to the Government in the terms the convener described, we should, when we undertake our tourism inquiry, consider in detail the events that have taken place and the circumstances that have arisen. I hope that, by that time, we will have clarity on the final outcome, which will give us more freedom to explore some of the issues. That would be a useful subject to consider as part of our examination of what it will take to grow tourism revenues by 50 per cent in the coming eight years.

That is fair, but the committee will need to be careful because we do not have responsibility for local government or planning—we will need to be clear about our remit. However, I take those points.

I agree with much of what has been said. The decision to write to the Government is right. Yesterday's news that the Government has decided to call in the proposal is absolutely welcome. The message from Scotland must be that, Scotland-wide, we are open for business. It is critical that we do that as quickly as possible.

In a similar vein, I agree that the convener's suggestion is the right thing to do. The committee is called the Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee and the development is a huge one that will have a big impact on not only the north-east of Scotland, but the whole of Scotland through the economic input and tourism effects. Elsewhere in the country, Peter de Savary is investing in and developing a hotel and golf facilities in Dornoch. Scotland is known the world over for golf, so if we turn down major golf initiatives, frankly there is no hope for us.

I do not represent a north-east constituency, but I support what my colleagues have said. We must consider the bigger picture. As I represent a constituency in Fife, which is the home of golf, I believe that the message that we send out to the wider Scottish community and the wider international community is important. I am pleased that the Government has decided to call in the application. In our inquiry we must take on board seriously the implications of the development.

I agree and I welcome the calling-in of the application. Tourism is vital for Scotland and it is even more important for the Highlands and Islands, which have an even greater reliance on it. The planning issues and other matters surrounding the development are important—there are major issues in there. Like Lewis Macdonald, I hope that the matter is decided fairly quickly, so that we can consider the details. The project has implications for the whole of Scotland, not least the Highlands and Islands.

I will abide by whatever decision the First Minister makes.

I think that it will be the Scottish ministers—I remember certain things about planning.

I am grateful to the committee for the unanimity on that. We will proceed as I suggested. We will circulate the letter prior to its departure to ensure that colleagues are comfortable with its contents.

We will now move into private session for agenda item 4, which is on the budget process.

Meeting continued in private until 11:53.