DONALD Trump's dream of building "the world's greatest golf course" in the North-east of Scotland was dealt a blow yesterday by a key environmental charity.

RSPB Scotland, one of the main conservation organisations consulted on the American tycoon's scheme to transform the Menie Links into a £1 billion golf resort, has called for the massive development to be sunk by council planners.

And the group has warned that the transformation of the spectacular Aberdeenshire coastline will, in effect, "destroy" a nationally important designated site of special scientific interest (SSSI). It also asserts that the level of destruction and damage cannot be justified by the Trump Organisation's claims about massive social and economic benefits the golf resort will bring to the area.

The charity's claims will be a serious blow to Mr Trump's hopes of an early decision from Aberdeenshire Council.

Earlier this year, the Trump Organisation's own environmental impact assessment conceded that the plan for the unspoiled estate would adversely affect the site, significantly changing fragile sand dunes which are home to seven species of birds on a conservation "red list". A third of the site is in the Foveran links SSSI.

The RSPB consultation document is uncompromising. Dr Ian Francis, the RSPB's area manager, says in his introduction: "We consider that this development will lead to unacceptable levels of destruction of nationally rare habitats on an important designated Site of Special Scientific Interest.

"It will have severe, adverse effects on species and habitats subject to national and local biodiversity action plans, interfere with natural coastal processes and would be contrary to stated policies of Aberdeenshire Council and also the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy.

"Such adverse impacts, acknowledged in the developer's own environmental statement, are not outweighed by any overriding need for the development."

Within the application site, the breeding bird community includes significant numbers of skylarks and some waders, particularly lapwings and redshank. Wintering bird communities include large numbers of pink-footed geese and other wading birds.

Otters frequent the site, and the scant invertebrate data for the area suggests the presence of at least four nationally important species.

The report continues: "The 'environmental footprint' of this project will be enormous... The damage to biodiversity, over the whole site, and to the integrity of the Foveran Links SSSI, is so severe that we believe strongly the application should not be approved."

No-one from the Trump Organisation was available for comment yesterday.