LEGENDARY golfer Jack Nicklaus has unveiled plans for an £80 million golf and housing project in Aberdeenshire.

The development will be built on the Ury Estate near Stonehaven and will complement the 18-hole Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course there.

The first phase of the 1600-acre project will be made up of self-build plots and five-bedroom homes in the Nicklaus Village, most of which offer a view of the course itself.

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The 82-year-old golfer said: “Here we are just south of Aberdeen in Stonehaven with the beautiful castle on the hill. You stand up there with the castle, and you see the bay and the water. It’s a pretty view and pretty area, with great tradition.

“The Scottish people have always been very nice to me. I guess they like somebody who excels at what they do, and I’ve excelled in Scotland. Anytime you win at St. Andrews, you’ve got to play some pretty special golf, and it’s a very special feeling.

"Bobby Jones always said that your golfing resume is not complete unless you have won at St. Andrews. I won at St. Andrews and I’m proud that I won again at St. Andrews."

He added that the project looked to create "a way of life around what we've done" and that he would like for it to participate in the "growth and feeling of the community". 

The golfer’s firm has already designed more than 435 courses in 46 countries – with the Ury Estate course expected to open in 2024.

The National: An aerial shot of Ury EstateAn aerial shot of Ury Estate (Image: unknown)

Jonathon Milne, from site owner and developer the FM Group, said that they “couldn’t be more excited” to launch the project in Scotland’s northeast.

He added: “Nicklaus Companies have a proven track record of creating stunning residential communities at their courses worldwide, and we are very proud to be bringing Europe’s first Nicklaus branded residential development to Scotland.

“Ury Estate is a unique development which is set to be one of the world’s most prestigious golfing destinations. We are delighted to be creating the opportunity for people to buy or build their dream home at the course.

“The Nicklaus Village at Ury Estate offers a luxury lifestyle experience, with family homes situated in a country setting affording a spectacular panorama of the Aberdeenshire countryside and coastline.”