Herb Kohler opts against the Trump approach as he vows not to tread on toes with plans for Hamilton Hall

While Donald Trump may have ruffled a few feathers with his plans for a world-class golf resort near Aberdeen, fellow American Herb Kohler is adopting a more sympathetic approach with his latest venture in St Andrews.

Kohler, a plumbing magnate who is one of the United States' richest tycoons, bought Hamilton Hall, which he reckons is the second most photographed building in world golf – after its neighbour, the R&A Clubhouse – for £11 million last year and is set to take the next step towards seeing it being refurbished.

Tomorrow and Saturday, in the town hall in St Andrews, the famous red sandstone building will be the subject of a public consultation and, though Kohler, who also owns the Old Course Hotel nearby, knows exactly what he'd like to do to restore Hamilton Hall to its former glory, the 69-year-old is ready and willing to take on board whatever the locals have to say.

His proposals, which could cost up to £30m, are to turn the building, which has been empty since a plan to create a "fractional ownership" scheme failed to materialise, into a series of one-bedroom luxury timeshare flats, or two to four-bedroom apartments, linked to services provided at the Old Course Hotel.

Speaking exclusively to The Scotsman during a visit to Edinburgh to meet Jim Mather, the Energy, Enterprise and Tourism Minister, Kohler said: "We are looking forward to the public consultation. We've already received a significant amount of responses without asking for anything. We've received them on the internet and some direct to the hotel and direct to me, too. I think 95 per cent of them have been very positive, one way or the other, and we've had some good ideas."

Kohler, who also owns the Duke's Course at St Andrews, is clearly passionate about this latest project in the Fife town, which he first visited as a guest in the famous hotel he bought in 2004 and has totally refurbished ahead of this year's 150th anniversary of The Open Championship on the Old Course. "Do I remember seeing it (Hamilton Hall] in Chariots of Fire? Of course I do," he said. "On virtually every picture of St Andrews you can see the R&A Clubhouse and Hamilton Hall.

"Indeed, I call it possibly the second most photographed building in the world in golf. It has great character and great colour and juxtaposed to the R&A clubhouse it makes a wonderful picture of St Andrews.

"We have a chance to create something special but, if I felt we could do what we wanted to, we would instantly fail. There's too many nuances that are different to this country – and thank god for that. It makes you unique and makes you distinct. To do something successfully in this country you better understand that."

Full Story: The Scotsman