Environment

Donald Trump is to build a $1.6 billion golf course on a rare dune ecosystem in Scotland

by Yuliya Talmazan | November 3, 2008 at 03:35 pm

424 views | 2 Recommendations | 3 comments

Aberdeenshire, Scotland, is a new business development ground for American business magnate Donald Trump. He plans to build a world-class golf resort on the land that is a rare system of naturally shifting dunes and a site of “special scientific interest” protected by EU legislature. Despite opposition from local authorities, Scottish government still gave the project a go, claiming the golf resort will give great economic boost to the region. Trump will be obliged to ensure that safe environmental practices are being employed during the construction and that what remains of Aberdeenshire’s rare fauna and flora is preserved. But, environmentalists are not the only source of problems for Trump. Some local residents are refusing to sell their homes in the middle of the planned resort to clear the site for construction. Locals must also have an unobstructed access to the dunes in accordance with Scottish law. Residents are calling the construction a “vanity project” and are mad with Scottish government for giving in to the U.S. TV personality.

The billionaire property developer, Donald Trump, today won permission to build "the world's greatest golf course", complete with high-rise timeshare flats and eight storey hotel, on a rare and ecologically sensitive stretch of dunes overlooking the North Sea.

The New York-based businessman said he was "greatly honoured" after Scottish ministers in Edinburgh confirmed that his dream of creating one of golf's most northerly resorts had been approved, despite vociferous opposition from environmentalists and many local residents.

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And his most famous opponent, Michael Forbes, the fisherman and quarry worker who earned abuse from Trump last year after refusing repeatedly to sell his home at the centre of the resort, still has no intention of moving out.

"He has no hope in hell of getting us away," said his wife, Sheila Forbes. "We're staying put, and that's it."

Today's outline planning approval, however, legally binds Trump to agree to a series of environmental checks and controls, giving Aberdeenshire council and the Scottish government's environment agency, Scottish Natural Heritage, legal oversight to ensure remaining plant species and wildlife are fully protected.

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Dr Jenkins

at 03:09 on November 4th, 2008

Trump isn't Felix Happer. Sadly.

spottiewattie17

at 08:53 on November 4th, 2008

It is a disgrace that Trump was allowed to overturn a democratic decision not to allow the creation of the golf course made by the original committee at Aberdeenshire Council. Also, this is just a money-spinning exercise for Trump - a golf course on its own may have been acceptable, but the hundreds of houses and the hotel for the super-rich are not acceptable. All of the jobs created will be menial, low-paid jobs eg cleaners, chambermaids etc. In one hundred years from now our families will not be able to enjoy the site of special scientific interest ever again! Once gone, gone forever.

spottiewattie17 has contributed a photo to this story.