Ministers will decide whether tycoon Donald Trump's £1bn golf resort goes ahead after the Scottish Government last night called in the plans which were rejected by councillors last week.
A government statement said: "Ministers recognise that the application raises issues of importance that require consideration at a national level.
"Calling the application in allows ministers the opportunity to give full scrutiny to all aspects of this proposal before reaching a final decision."
Mr Trump was said to be "very impressed" with the government move, believed to be unprecedented at this stage in the planning process.
Neil Hobday, his project manager in Scotland, said: "We obviously welcome this decision. It is a very good and brave decision.
"It is of national importance and reflects the outcry after last week's appalling decision by the council committee."
The move came after Mr Trump's lawyers said they were considering moving the plans to Northern Ireland, while indicating reluctance to resubmit the plans to Aberdeenshire Council.
The proposals for a golf course, 450-room hotel, 500 luxury homes, 36 golf villas, and 950 holiday homes on 1400 acres near Balmedie, were rejected last week by Aberdeenshire's Infrastructure Committee.
There was an outcry that the region's economy could lose £50m a year, with the project expected to create 6000 jobs during construction and 1200 on completion.
Last night Aberdeenshire Council leader Anne Robertson welcomed the ministers' decision. She said: "The Scottish Government quite rightly feels this application raises issues of such importance that they require scrutiny at a national level.
"If the decision of ministers to call this application in keeps it alive, then we welcome this intervention."
Brian Adam, SNP MSP for Aberdeen North, said: "I am sure people across Aberdeenshire who were rightly outraged by the decision and feared the loss of this crucial investment will welcome this move and look forward to the outcome from the government."
Alex Johnstone, Conservative MSP for North East Scotland, said: "This is absolutely the right decision and I can only hope it is not too late."
Martin Ford, the councillor who had the casting vote and rejected Mr Trump's plans, was surprised by the development.
He said: "I don't know whether they can determine this application without a public inquiry. But there might be questions of natural justice if they did so.
"It might even be that such a course resulted in a challenge."
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