Trump spokesman hits out at charities' ads against golf resort plans

Published on Wednesday 20 August 2008 22:46

THE Trump Organisation yesterday condemned the decision of two of Scotland's leading wildlife charities to mount a newspaper advertising campaign against Donald Trump's plans for a £1 billion golf resort on a site of special scientific interest.

Full-page adverts calling on members of the public to join the protest campaign were placed by RSPB Scotland and the Scottish Wildlife Trust.

The advertisements urge people who oppose plans to site the main championship course on a protected site on the Menie estate in Aberdeenshire to join an e-mail campaign targeted at John Swinney, the Scottish finance secretary, who will make the final decision on the controversial planning application.

George Sorial, the Trump Organisation executive in charge of the development, said the campaign smacked of desperation.

"It is an unusual move for two highly respected charitable organisations, created to protect wildlife, to spend so much money on a campaign opposing a development that will ultimately benefit wildlife and the environment," he said.

A spokesman for RSPB Scotland defended the campaign and said the adverts had been paid for by Restore UK, a Surrey-based environmental charity, and an anonymous donor.