Neighbour joins Trump in fight over wind farm

Published on Friday 20 January 2012 00:00

ONE of the world’s oldest golf clubs has joined forces with Donald Trump in objecting to proposals for the wind farm off the Aberdeenshire coast which the tycoon claims has forced him to put plans for his luxury golf resort on hold.

The American billionaire announced earlier this week that he will not spend “another penny” on the development at the Menie Estate near Balmedie until it has been confirmed that the proposed 11 turbine European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre (EOWDC) is being moved away from the coastline.

Neighbouring Royal Aberdeen Golf Club, the sixth oldest club in the world, is also planning to lodge a formal objection to the turbine development.

The development, spearheaded by Swedish electricity firm Vattenfall, will stretch from Aberdeen to an area off Blackdog, an estimated one-and-a-half miles from the Menie links. The turbines will be up to 640ft high – twice the size of the Big Ben clock tower.

Ronnie MacAskill, the director of golf at Royal Aberdeen, confirmed that the club would be officially objecting to the offshore wind farm plan.

He said: “If you are a golfer then your preference would not be to look at giant wind turbines. Lots of people come to enjoy and experience the best of what is a very natural and historic site here.

“The general feeling is that anything which encroaches upon that would be detrimental. We will be lodging an objection along those lines.”

David Rodger, a spokesman for the project partners, said: “We believe that EOWDC is crucial to the future economy of the region – home of Europe’s energy capital, Aberdeen – and is of strategic importance to the development of the offshore wind sector for Scotland, the UK and, indeed, Europe.”

Comments

There are 6 comments to this article

Order by:

• Newest first
• |
• Oldest first

Page 1 of 1

• 1
• Show all

6

Aberdeen lad

Sunday, January 22, 2012 at 03:08 AM

An accurate description of Donald Trumps development can be found here, www.trippinguptrump.com

• Report Unsuitable

5

Aberdeen lad

Sunday, January 22, 2012 at 03:04 AM

The period for making representations about the windfarm ended last year. I am suspicious as to why all of a sudden Royal Aberdeen Golf Club now wish to make an objection. Golf courses are not natural, in fact they are man made and very unnatural, they also damage the environment by pest control (killing of wildlife) and the huge amounts of chemicals used to maintain the grass.

• Report Unsuitable

4

nabodican

Friday, January 20, 2012 at 10:40 PM

#3 jerrymanders - The golf course has greatly enhanced the sand dunes and 650 foot high turbines only one and a half miles offshore will be right in your face as well as a danger to shipping.

• Report Unsuitable

3

jerrymanders

Friday, January 20, 2012 at 04:16 PM

Trump get's the go-a-head to desecrate a SSSI but complains about a distant windfarm - oh the irony.

• Report Unsuitable

2

torry doug

Friday, January 20, 2012 at 04:10 PM

its an experimental site they will all be different sizes and styles will look hideous.and where are the vessels that moor in aberdeen bay going to go as its the only safe anchorage for 35 miles.

• Report Unsuitable

1

norfolkboy14

Friday, January 20, 2012 at 11:43 AM

At least Donald Trump and the Royal Aberdeen Golf Club acknowledge that wind farms are having a detrimental effect on the leisure and tourist industries. When will the rest of the country wake up to this fact? Are you disillusioned by rising electricity prices, over dependence on the "green" dream [especially uneconomical and inefficient wind farms] and the destruction of our countryside then please register your objection to the Government by googling "petition 22958" and following the link.

• Report Unsuitable

Order by:

• Newest first
• |
• Oldest first

Page 1 of 1

• 1
• Show all

Logged in as:

Comment here. Start typing your comment here:

Post comment

Please adhere to our Community guidelines

Your view

Please sign in to be able to comment on this story.