SIR Sean Connery helped swing planning permission for a controversial Aberdeenshire golf resort, according to Donald Trump.

The US president made the remarks today as he opened a new course at the Trump International Links, a resort which sparked a bitter planning row when he unveiled plans for it in 2007.

The development, which encompassed a Site of Special Scientific Interest, was rejected by Aberdeenshire Council in 2007 before being “called in” for consideration by the planning reporter by SNP Scottish government ministers who then gave the green light to the development.

Sir Sean — keen golfer, SNP supporter, one-time party funder and friend of then first minister Alex Salmond — told an audience in 2008 that on hearing the proposals: “I said ‘Well, I think it’s terrific.’ But I had no idea what local repercussions would be.

“My first response was I couldn’t see anything but benefits for that part of Scotland because it’s pretty neglected, apart from the oil fields.”

Acknowledging that support at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the resort’s new course, Mr Trump said: “This has been an unbelievable development.

“The land, they said it couldn’t get zoned, it was an impossibility. And Sean Connery said ‘let the bloody bloke build his golf course.’

“Once he said that, everything came into line. [First Minister] John [Swinney] and I were talking about that last night.”

Responding to questions on the nature of both the decision and the discussion with Mr Trump when they, alongside Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, dined together on Monday night, Mr Swinney said it was a matter of “historical record” that as a minister at the time, he had decided to “call in” the application.

Asked if Sir Sean had no involvement, the First Minister said only: “Well, that’s an explanation of the due process.”

Aberdeen TUC president Tommy Campbell told the Star: “It doesn’t matter who Donald Trump claims backed him up — whoever did well and truly backed the wrong horse.

“He claimed that he’s created thousands of jobs, but there’s fewer employed there now than on the old Menie Estate he erased.

“He claimed it would be a roaring success, but it’s not made a penny profit, sucked-up tax rebates and racked up losses of £16 million since it opened.

“Trump is a complete business failure.”