A Scottish council which rejected plans by U.S. tycoon Donald Trump to build a $2 billion golfing development had a change of heart on Tuesday, when it gave support to the scheme in an emergency meeting.

Aberdeenshire Council also dumped a committee chairman, councillor Martin Ford, who had used his casting vote to scupper the plans on environmental grounds last month.

The Scottish government said last week it was intervening because the project, to build two championship golf courses, around 1,000 homes, a luxury hotel and 36 villas on a pristine stretch of northeast coastline, was too "important" to be dealt with by the local council.

Trump's camp said it was hopeful the council's action would have a positive influence on the government's review of the application.

The real estate magnate had threatened to relocate the project to Northern Ireland.

Trump has said the project would meet environmental concerns, create thousands of jobs and "put the northeast on the global tourist map".

An Aberdeenshire council spokesman said: "Support for the plans will be put forward by the council as an enhanced consultee as it is now no longer the planning authority." He said Ford was removed as chairman of the council's infrastructure and services committee after a vote of no confidence was supported 26-10, with 29 councillors abstaining.

A Scottish government spokesman said the move would not affect the review as ministers would make the final decision. Neil Hobday, director of the Trump project, said the group felt vindicated by the council's action.

"For us it is a validation or affirmation and it (the decision) did not surprise us as we have support of the people of this region and I think the politicians who are representing them listened," he said.

Ford could not be reached for comment. But at the time of the decision, Ford defended his vote against Trump, saying the risk to the local environment was "too high a price to pay".