Exclusive:Why golfers may never reach 18th hole if controversial Coul Links course in Scottish Highlands gets green light

They say the complex, which will include a luxury ‘eco’ hotel and clubhouse, will create 400 new jobs, bring in £50 million of investment and help turn the region – which already has several acclaimed courses, including Royal Dornoch – into an internationally renowned golf tourism “destination”.

Flow Country Scotland: Peatland restoration could generate £400m for northern Highlands within 20 years

The plans, which have been revised after an earlier application was refused in 2020, have caused widespread controversy due to fears that unique habitat and threatened wildlife will be destroyed. The site is home to “unprecedented” biological diversity, hosting at least 1,425 species.

New firm Communities for Coul (C4C) is behind the latest proposal, with backers including US developers Todd Warnock and golf course tycoon Mike Keiser.

Now local conservationists are warning that increasingly stormy weather and rising sea levels, driven by climate change, are causing the dunes to rapidly retreat. They say potential golfers would already be unable to complete a full round due to the losses.

Monitoring of the dunes shows the sand where part of the course will be sited has moved a “considerable” distance inland over recent times. Nearly 6m has been eaten away at the proposed 17th hole this winter alone – compared to 11m of shrinkage at the same spot over the previous five years.

Nature takes its course as rewilding transforms former farm in Scotland's home of golf

At what would be the 18th hole, the strip from the tee to the dune edge narrowed by almost 2m virtually overnight last month. Local environmental group Not Coul is fighting to block the project.

Campaign leader Dr Tom Dargie said: “Last winter’s storms have been taking their toll. At the last measurement, in March, the edge of the 17th hole fairway and the 18th back tee were only 3.15m and 3.40m from the dune edge.

“Parts of the construction corridor of the golf course, which is a zone around the fairways, tees and greens, has already gone over the edge."

Coul Links is one of the most protected nature sites in Scotland and one of the last remaining undisturbed dune systems of its kind in the country. It is a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest, Special Protection Area and Ramsar wetland of international importance.

Video featuring ‘fake’ locals branded ‘embarrassing’ in US billionaire’s bid to build championship golf course on scenic Scottish Highland dunes

The plans, which were approved by Highland Council, have been called in for further consideration by Scottish ministers. A pre-examination meeting is scheduled for next month.

Dr Dargie said: “We believe C4C’s planning application is already seriously affected, making it impossible to construct the course in its planned form. In fact, those holes may already be falling into the sea even before the decision on the planning application is made by Scottish ministers.”

Get our Transport newsletter to find out more about this key issue

Accelerating erosion is having a significant impact on other coastal golf courses, particularly in the east of Scotland.

Many – at least 34 – have already lost large chunks of ground to the sea. C4C has declined to comment on the findings.