Prop-arazzi

American Kazillionaire Donald Trump has jetted in again to speak at the first day of the public local inquiry on his plans to create a $1 billion golf course at the Menie Estate in Aberdeenshire - however one local stands in his way right slap bang in the middle of the proposed course…lets see how this pans out. Otherwise he’s ‘off to Northern Ireland’ he says.

As 2007 draws to a close The Times Property Section online - Bricks and Mortar has published an excellent report and run down of the UK property market winners and losers by region on a handy map with figures supplied by Halifax. The report also includes a brief forecast for 2008.

Here’s the skinny -

The look back!

London: Cut above the rest with the best homes oblivious to the global credit crunch

England Midlands: Middling. Growth has flattened and is likely to go on drifting

Scotland: Has set the pace - prices north of the border have risen the most

Wales: Lagged behind - low growth reflects caution by both buyers and sellers

Northern Ireland: Has had a good year. Although the tail end of the year has seen house price growth slow considerably

The look ahead 2008…

London: Knight Frank expects annual growth of 3 per cent across Greater London and Savills says that the market should recover to record growth of 5 per cent by the end of next year

England Midlands: Savills’ predictions are more positive, with a rise of 1.5 per cent in the West Midlands and 2 per cent in the East Midlands

Scotland: HBOS expects Scottish prices to rise by 4 per cent, more than anywhere else in the country

Wales: Halifax predicts a house-price growth rate of 0 per cent for 2008

Northern Ireland: Halifax predicts that house price growth in Northern Ireland will be 0 per cent in 2008

As another Ford hits the scrap heap - Martin Ford, Chairman of the Aberdeenshire Council’s infrastructure services committee that is - ‘The Donald’s’ plans for his 556 hectare pitch and putt in Scots-land-shire looks like it is still on.

With the Aberdeenshire Council making a dramatic U-turn after an embarrassing bit of, whats seems to be,  ill advised planning PR last week, the ‘application’ has now been ‘called in’ by the Scottish Executive for ‘another look’. Doesn’t look like Trump and his helicopter accompanied ‘Trumpites’ paid too much attention to his community relations and public affairs with the local Councillors and local residents. Lesson to be learned here is - regardless of the amount of money you have to build, or how much investment you will bring to the local area, decisions (yes even this one) are made by real people and real elected people with local mandates and you have to convince them that a vision is achievable and sustainable for local people and local businesses. Sometimes the cut and trust of deal breaking on the 73rd floor in a building overlooking Central Park just ain’t the way some things are done.

One burning question that everyone wants to know the answer to Donald and I think the debate should start here- who does your hair laddie?