Donald Trump must stick to his £1bn plans for his golf resort in Aberdeenshire, according to planning experts.

The US president-elect won permission to build two 18-hole courses at Balmedie in 2008, along with a 450-bedroom hotel, 950 holiday homes and up to 500 houses.

He has repeatedly stalled work on the resort in a long-running legal battle over a wind farm in nearby Aberdeen Bay.

Only one course and small hotel have been built so far and last year Mr Trump submitted alternative proposals that left out key parts of his original scheme.

The Scottish Government's Planning and Environmental Appeals Division has now said that Mr Trump must stick to his 2008 plan.

It highlighted that Trump International Golf Links was approved for "exceptional reasons" based on its potential social and financial benefits to the local area.

Planners also reiterated the need for the billionaire to make good on a promise to build affordable housing, a primary school and community amenities.

It is essential that "robust environmental assessments" continue at the course, which was built on protected sand dunes at Balmedie, they said.

Mr Trump promised to create 800 jobs at Trump International and planned to build accommodation for 400 staff.

Fewer than 100 people were employed there last year.

The course lost £1.09m in 2015 and has made a loss every year since it opened.

Mr Trump, who will be sworn in as US president next month, has promised to step away from his businesses to avoid conflicts of interest.

He has been encouraged to follow the lead of former presidents George W Bush and Bill Clinton and put his holdings in a blind trust, through which his businesses would be managed independently.

Mr Trump has indicated he intends to hand control of his companies to his children.

Eric Trump, Ivanka Trump and Donald Trump Jr are all involved in the running of their father's Scottish golf courses and also act as political advisers.