Work on Donald Trump's £1billion golf course in Aberdeenshire has begun.

It follows a decision by local councillors to allow the first stage of the development at the Menie Estate, Balmedie.

Aberdeenshire's Formartine Area Committee approved preparatory work including the planting of marram grass on the dunes at Menie, near Balmedie on Tuesday.

The shifting dunes, which will not be used as part of the golf course, are to be stabilised.

Protestors are worried the work will damage an environmentally-sensitive site and on Tuesday insisted they will take legal action against the decision to allow work to get underway.

Two councillors withdrew from Tuesday’s meeting after claiming the committee was acting outside its powers. Those claims were dismissed by the chairman of the committee.

Trump International lawyers said their plans had undergone the "greatest scrutiny" ever given to an application.

Speaking at the site today, Donald Trump Jnr said: "We are really thrilled. It's great to be here at the culmination of many years of hard work.

“It's been a fun process but it's great to be at the point of saying we’re building a project as opposed to planning a project. As a developer, as a builder, it's a big step for us and so that's something we are very happy about."

The coastal resort will have two golf courses, a hotel and almost 1,000 holiday homes.

Trump International said "detailed master planning" for the development was continuing and will be submitted to Aberdeenshire Council for approval in early 2010.

Opponents are threatening legal action against the decision by the local authority to allow todays work to go ahead.

Menie Estate resident and Tripping Up Trump member David Milne said: "There is no reason for our position to change. The fact is the biggest risk we face is that they start this work and cannot finish it and we end up with a damaged and destroyed zone here and nothing to replace it whatsoever."

Mr Milne and a handful of other residents on the Menie Estate are still refusing to sell their homes to Trump International.

As yet Aberdeenshire Council have not ruled out the possibility of using Compulsory Purchase Orders on the properties.