Donald Trump wins Menie golf course flag pole wrangle

The visual impact of the flagpole was found not to be obtrusive

President-elect Donald Trump's Aberdeenshire golf course has won a planning wrangle over a flag pole.

Two 80ft (24m) poles had been erected at the Menie course without planning permission.

Aberdeenshire councillors voted to allow one of them and Trump International took its case to the Scottish government, which has now ruled in its favour.

Trump International said common sense had prevailed.

Claire Milne, a reporter appointed by the Scottish government, assessed the visual impact and concluded she did "not find it obtrusive or out of proportion to the scale of the existing buildings or its immediate surroundings".

A spokeswoman for Trump International said: "The local planning committee's decision to prevent us from flying the Saltire by our championship golf course was very disappointing - it is frustrating that valuable time and resources are spent defending such things."

An Aberdeenshire Council spokesman said: "We note the decision, which will be brought before the Formartine area committee in due course for information."

Mr Trump has called the links course one of the finest in the world.