Donald Trump’s wind farm protest ‘costing jobs’

A four-day hearing into the controversial project has been set for November.

Mr Trump’s legal team launched the bid earlier this year to try to stop the £230m project near his golf resort at Balmedie. The wind farm development project consists of 11 turbines.

Mr Trump’s lawyers will make their case at the Court of Session from 12 November.

Mr Trump launched the legal challenge against the Scottish government’s decision to grant planning permission.

A Scottish Courts Service spokeswoman confirmed: “There is a four-day hearing fixed for the petition for judicial review on 12 November at the Court of Session.”

The European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre (EOWDC) project is aimed at providing enough energy for more than 49,000 homes.

WWF Scotland director Lang Banks said: “It’s such a shame Trump remains hell bent on using his billions to try and undermine Scotland’s ambition of becoming a cleaner, greener, job-creating nation.

“He may be happy wasting his own money. But, defending his legal action is likely to cost the Scottish taxpayer too.

“Research has shown that Scotland could meet its climate and energy targets using clean renewables and energy efficiency.

“In the end, just like the Scottish Parliament’s own inquiry, we hope the court sees through his bluff and bluster and agrees that giving the go-ahead to this development was the right decision.

“A report out this week shows that thousands of jobs in Scotland are already supported by the wind power industry.

“Studies estimate that Scotland’s offshore wind industry could create 28,000 jobs by 2020 and contribute over £7 billion of investment to the economy.

“It would be a great pity indeed if Donald Trump was in the end responsible for preventing Scotland creating green jobs and boosting its economy.”