Ury Estate - Nicklaus in Stonehaven

[Brian_Ewen]

Obviously this had me choking on my cornflakes this morning 


http://news.scotsman.com/scotland.cfm?id=1091842007

Jack Nicklaus plans new golf resort on Stonehaven estate
FRANK URQUHART
 
A NEW golf course designed by Jack Nicklaus would form the centrepiece of a £40 million hotel and resort development unveiled yesterday.

The proposal comes on the back of Donald Trump's plans for a £1 billion development at Menie in Aberdeenshire and reinforces hopes of establishing the North-east of Scotland as a golfing Mecca.

Edinburgh-based FM Developments announced that Ury Estate in Stonehaven is to become home to only the second Jack Nicklaus signature golf course in Scotland.

The "Golden Bear's" PGA Centenary course at Gleneagles, which opened in 1993, has already been recognised as a modern classic. It has also been chosen as the venue for the 2014 Ryder Cup.

Separate proposals by the Trump Organisation to build what the billionaire tycoon has hailed as "the world's greatest golf resort" on a spectacular stretch of links land near Balmedie are still awaiting planning permission.

Mr Nicklaus last night said: "Ury Estate is a fantastic landscape that commands great views across the surrounding countryside and out to the North Sea, offering us a wonderful opportunity to design a memorable golf experience.

"The area is immersed in Scottish history and we are honoured to be a part of its golf future. We look forward to the challenge of blending the golf course design with its surroundings, and hope to create a beautiful course that will highlight the incredible Scottish scenery."

The 18-hole Nicklaus championship course will be the flagship of FM Developments' plans to transform the 1,500-acre Ury Estate on the outskirts of Stonehaven into a massive leisure complex with a hotel, shooting range, tennis courts and equestrian and fishing facilities.

Last December, Aberdeenshire councillors threw out plans by the company to restore Ury House, the B-listed derelict Elizabethan-style mansion at the centre of the estate, as part of an earlier application. The company wanted to transform the roofless mansion into nine townhouses and build 138 homes in the grounds.

But the planning authority ruled the scheme would have an "unacceptable impact" on the landscape.

FM Developments was granted planning approval last year to create the golf course. Its revised plan includes proposals to restore Ury House as the clubhouse, complete with function and conference facilities. A series of four hamlets across the periphery of the estate is also included in the plans.

Richard Milne, director of FM Developments, said: "It is a great honour for someone with such stature as Jack Nicklaus to put his name to Ury Estate.

"It reinforces our faith in the potential of the estate to become a golf resort with an abundance of leisure facilities for the local community and to attract visitors to Stonehaven and surrounding areas."

[Jon Wiggett]

Brian,

I saw the site in April. It will make a good site for a golf course and does have good sea views.

[Brian_Ewen]

Jon
I live in Stonehaven , and I wonder if we are thinking about the same piece of land ?

This is the site alongside the road ?

Hope Brian Phillips has something to say , on what has happened to the original design plans .

I am still wondering if someone has got their wires crossed here , as Nicklaus Design only mentions a development with FM Group for Cape Verde, off West Coast of Africa ?

[Brian Phillips]

Brian,

It is true that the Nicklaus Group have been given the job.  We took the project from scratch through planning permission but the developers have decided in the end to go with Nicklaus.

They have a good relationship with Nicklaus on the Cape Verde job and so the group were asked to come in and look at the site at Stonehaven.  Nicklaus group liked the site and said yes to the project.

Jon,

The site is inland but still a good site for golf although it will require some major earthworks in some small areas of the site.

Brian

[Brian_Ewen]

Brian
Thanks for replying .

It certainly has the town talking today , and Mr Nicklaus's face is on the front page of the local papers .

Sorry for my ignorant questions , but what happens now ? .

Are Nicklaus Design allowed to use your plans , or do they start from scratch ?.

I do wonder how Mr Trump will view this .

Best Regards
Brian

[Brian Phillips]

Brian,

Graeme has a meeting next week with Jack where all details will be sorted out.

I would be very surprised if Jack wants to stick with our design but I don't think there would be any problems with it if he did.  We would take it as a compliment.

I will be very surprised if they can get that much of a different routing from the site anyway.

Brian

[Jon Wiggett]

Brian,

I was thinking of the land round the house called the sand pit although here is some land above that off the B797 that offers excellent views of the sea.

[Brian_Ewen]

Jon
To me , this is all very interesting , as I am now sure we are talking about a different piece of land .

I think you mean the B979 , and yes there is some lovely pieces of land there , that all belongs to Ury Estate .

From the road some of it looks very scrubby and heathery , the further you get away from the town .

The piece of land that the golf course was originally to be built on , that Me and Brian are talking about ,  is on a narrowish strip that runs alongside the A957.

[Tim Pitner]

I love this quote:

"The "Golden Bear's" PGA Centenary course at Gleneagles, which opened in 1993, has already been recognised as a modern classic. It has also been chosen as the venue for the 2014 Ryder Cup."

Isn't David Kidd renovating this "modern classic"?  

[Brian Phillips]

Re-designing would be the word....it ain't no renovation...

[Tim Pitner]

Re-designing would be the word....it ain't no renovation...

Yeah, that was my understanding too--poor choice of words on my part.  

[Jon Wiggett]

Yes Brian, you are right, it is the B979 I was thinking about.

[Mark Chaplin]

The Nicklaus course at Gleneagles is a decent enough course, but completely out of place in Gleneagles and not a patch on the Kings course. Having played all three Gleneagles courses I'd play the Kings course 3 times for every round on the Queens or nicklaus.

It was awarded the Ryder Cup on the number of $$$ paid.

[Brian_Ewen]

Sorry Mark, you need another round on the Queens .

[Brian_Ewen]

http://www.eveningexpress.co.uk/news/local/plans-lodged-for-80m-jack-nicklaus-designed-golf-course-1.844001

Plans lodged for £80m Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course
26 FEB 2015
PLANS for a ‘world-class’ championship golf course designed by Jack Nicklaus were today lodged with Aberdeenshire Council.

Developer FM Group wants to spend £80 million  to create the 18-hole course and 90 high-end homes on the Ury Estate near Stonehaven, along with a luxury hotel and clubhouse.

An independent report, by EKOS, is being submitted along with the planning application and claims that the golf course and associated housing development would generate £55.5m for the Aberdeenshire economy and create 200 new jobs.

Nicklaus – an 18-time major winner – said today:  “Aberdeenshire is a beautiful area and this site is particularly special. I have visited on a number of occasions, and I think Ury Estate provides us all the components to create a memorable golf experience.

“I think this golf course can only enhance the storied golf heritage long associated with this beautiful country and the passionate Scottish golf fans. We hope it can be a source of pride for the people in and around Stonehaven and the Aberdeen region.”

Jonathon Milne, director of FM Group, said: “This much-anticipated and highly welcomed golf development stalled during the recession but is now fully back on track and, if it proceeds, will really put Stonehaven on the map, attracting tourists and boosting business in the town. It is the final piece in the jigsaw for the Ury Estate development and an intrinsic part of the overall viability of the estate.”

[David_Tepper]

Brian -

With the price of all down 40%-50%, how is the economy around Aberdeen these days? Is there still an appetite for a high-end real state development such as this?

DT

[Gary Sato]

They have a good relationship with Nicklaus on the Cape Verde job and so the group were asked to come in and look at the site at Stonehaven.  Nicklaus group liked the site and said yes to the project.

"Nicklaus group liked the site" is hilarious.  Nicklaus will build on a dump in Syria if asked and the money is right.  It seems a little unethical.

[Joe Hancock]

They have a good relationship with Nicklaus on the Cape Verde job and so the group were asked to come in and look at the site at Stonehaven.  Nicklaus group liked the site and said yes to the project.

"Nicklaus group liked the site" is hilarious.  Nicklaus will build on a dump in Syria if asked and the money is right.  It seems a little unethical.

Gary,

Maybe that's a little strong. Once you start a company, hire employees and maintain responsibility for their welfare, well, sometimes you build on a dump in Syria. Otherwise, downsizing and re-tooling becomes a nasty cycle that fails to keep your talented people around.

Back to regularly scheduled programming......

Joe

[David_Tepper]

Gary S. -

Rumor has it Nicklaus turned down the job to design Clint Eastwood's Tehama course in the hills above Carmel Valley, saying the terrain was just too difficult.

Having played the course that was built there (can't recall who wound up designing it), I would say Jack was right.

DT

[Niall C]

FM Developments want to have a word with The Donald, because £55m and 200 jobs is way too low. Donald will show them how to spin a yarn  .

Niall

[Jon Wiggett]

Nice to see this project back in business. Like David I would be interested to see how the oil price is going to effect it if at all.

Jon

[Gary Sato]

Gary S. -

Rumor has it Nicklaus turned down the job to design Clint Eastwood's Tehama course in the hills above Carmel Valley, saying the terrain was just too difficult.

Having played the course that was built there (can't recall who wound up designing it), I would say Jack was right.

DT

Next door to Tehama he stole one design away from Damien Pascuzzo and Neal Meagher at Pasadera yet he used their routing.

Maybe Clint didn't want to pay his exorbitant fee. It would have been ironic if Nicklaus could fix Jay Morrish's design nightmare considering Morrish worked for Nicklaus for 10 years.

[JWL]

David and Gary,
Let me set the record straight on the two courses that you brought up.
First, David - Tehama was indeed turned down by Nicklaus, and I was the person that suggested that the site was unbuildable.    The only reason that a course was constructed at all is because the environmentalists changed the rules regarding whether the trees located on the site in the ravines could be removed.   We were told that the have to remain and because the ravines/valleys had to be filled to soften the ridges, the trees would be destroyed.   The site was tough without the trees remaining, but imho, impossible with the trees remaining.
Secondly, Gary - Pasadera was not 'stolen' from anyone.    Jack was asked to do the project and after review of some of the existing road infrastructure that was already installed/being installed that was part of the Development Master Plan.   The existing routing was not 'used' by Nicklaus.   There was a new routing plan that had to work with the existing development plan.    Some of the same hole areas were the same as the previous routing, by there were numerous changes to the routing, and the original routing was not considered other than the corridors that were established and couldn't be changed.
Hope this clears up any rumors and misinformation can be halted.

[Brian_Ewen]

https://www.eveningexpress.co.uk/fp/news/local/nicklaus-pledges-to-fly-in-if-golf-plan-wins-backing/



JACK NICKLAUS PLEDGES TO FLY IN IF GOLF PLAN WINS BACKING
The world’s greatest golfer today said he will fly to the North-east if plans for his £80 million golf course are approved.


Plans by FM Group for an 18-hole course and 90 homes at the Ury Estate, on the outskirts of Stonehaven, will go before the Kincardine and Mearns area committee on Tuesday.


Jack Nicklaus is due to design the course but in a report going before the committee, members are asked by Aberdeenshire Council’s planners to refuse the development, citing the impact on Slicewells Wood.


The golfer confirmed he will fly to the North-east to mark work starting on the course if councillors back the plans. And Mr Nicklaus today told the Evening Express his course would attract enthusiasts from across the world.


He said: “As a potential decision on the Ury Estate development draws near, we are getting even more excited about the potential to create a truly special golf experience – one we hope will be a source of tourism, economic impact, decades of recreation, and, perhaps most important, leave a proud and lasting legacy for Aberdeenshire. The stunning natural environment of this location will make for a spectacular golf course, which has the ability to attract people from all over the world.


“As our global reputation as good stewards of the land would indicate, our team’s goal is to not only protect this unique environment, but enhance it for generations to come. We have enjoyed designing a course, which blends into the existing scenery and uses every rise and fall to both challenge and entertain golfers.


“We hope that the planning decision is a positive one, and that my next trip to Scotland will be to officially commence the construction of the golf course at Ury.”


The FM Group has said the 90 houses proposed would be used to fund the development of the golf course.


Of these, 44 of the houses, situated to the north, are proposed near Slicewells Wood, which date to the 18th and 19th centuries.


The FM Group already has permission to build 230 homes on the land, and last year began work to restore the B-listed Ury House as a hotel and clubhouse.


Planners are concerned about the potential loss of 470 of 580 trees for the current application,

[David_Tepper]

Brian -

With the collapse in the price of oil (way lower than it was a year ago), what is the economic mood in the Aberdeen area like these days? Is there still an appetite for a high-end, luxury development like this?

DT

P.S. I hope your job status is secure.