Coul Links Golf Course Near Royal Dornoch Rejected Again
By Staff Writer
1 min read
Key takeaways
- Scottish ministers rejected the Coul Links golf course near Royal Dornoch for a second time.
- The 18-hole course at Embo was first denied in 2020 after local council approval in 2018.
- A public inquiry called the site's dune system "unparalleled within Scotland."
A revised plan to build an 18-hole links course called Coul Links, near Royal Dornoch in the north east of Scotland, has been rejected by the Scottish government for a second time.
Why was the Coul Links plan rejected?
The site at Embo near Dornoch was approved by the local council in 2018 before Scottish ministers denied it in 2020. A revised proposal from American developer Todd Warnock, covering an 18-hole course, clubhouse and pro shop, was rejected again over concerns for local wildlife, with a public inquiry finding the dune system could be "unparalleled within Scotland."
"A huge blow for the area." — Communities for Coul
How have the two sides responded?
Conservation groups and Ramblers Scotland welcomed the ruling. Communities for Coul, which backed the project, called it a setback for local jobs and investment. Landowner Edward Abel Smith said he was disappointed and argued that blocking the course would not by itself fix the site's environmental issues.
What other courses are nearby?
Royal Dornoch, ranked fifth in Golf Monthly's UK & Ireland top 100, is the best-known course near the rejected site, with the Carnegie Championship Links at Skibo Castle and Brora Golf Club also close by.
Frequently asked questions
What is Coul Links?
Coul Links was a proposed 18-hole links golf course at Embo, near Royal Dornoch in the Scottish Highlands.
Why did the Scottish government reject the Coul Links course?
Ministers cited concerns about the project's impact on a dune ecosystem a public inquiry called potentially unmatched elsewhere in Scotland.
Has Coul Links been rejected before?
Yes. It was approved by the local council in 2018 but denied by Scottish ministers in 2020, before this second rejection of a revised plan.
- Royal Dornoch
- Coul Links
- Scotland golf
- links golf
- golf course development
- Embo
