Golf tycoon Mike Keiser and his business partner Todd Warnock want to build the new course on protected dunes along with the erection of a clubhouse, the renovation of existing buildings to form a maintenance facility, along with a pro shop, caddy hut, workshop, administration building, and information booth.

The Highland Council voted in June to approve a planning application for the development, which lies within the Loch Fleet site of scientific special interest (SSSI), before the application was called in by Scottish Ministers due to an outstanding objection by Scottish Natural Heritage.

Now the Scotsman has reported that eight animal and nature charities have banded together to create a super-group to oppose the plans at the planning inquiry in February.

The charities claim the course would ruin the more than 34 acres of internationally important and irreplaceable dune habitats.

The group’s strongest weapon is the nearly-extinct Fonseca’s seed fly - Scotland’s rarest species which is only found on this short stretch of coast, and nowhere else in the world.

The coalition - which includes Scottish National Heritage, Buglife and Scottish Wildlife Trust - claim fairways and greens would destroy the flies and their habitat.

A spokesperson for Buglife said: “Fonseca’s seed fly is one of the UK’s rarest endemic invertebrates, restricted globally to a short stretch of coast in northern Scotland.

“This species is found at Coul Links within the proposed golf course where its population is perilously small.

“Stabilisation of the dunes and creation of fairways and greens for the proposed golf course will destroy the habitat for the species and further fragment the already fragile population.”

Jonny Hughes, chief executive of the Scottish Wildlife Trust, said: “Coul Links is globally important for nature conservation and because of this it is among one of the most heavily protected areas in Scotland.

“It is alarming that these damaging plans have come so far.

“The Scottish Government’s response to Coul Links is a test of its commitment to caring for our most important habitats.

“Our evidence will demonstrate the immense damage that will be done by carving out a golf course in this truly special place, and we hope it will lead to a swift rejection of the plans by Scottish Ministers.”