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Trump to launch wind farm legal challenge

April 12 2013

Trump to launch wind farm legal challenge
Combative developer Donald Trump has signaled his intention to mount a legal challenge against the Scottish Government over its decision to grant approval to a wind farm off the Aberdeenshire coast.

Speaking to the BBC Trump confirmed that he would instruct his lawyers to move against the scheme ‘fairly soon’ in a bid to preserve existing views from his new golf course at Menie, Aberdeenshire.

Commenting on his legal team Trump said: “They are as incensed as I am and as many people in Scotland are. This isn't just Donald Trump. We have thousands of people all over Scotland that are absolutely incensed.

"I probably started that because I said something can be done about this."

Trump recently unveiled plans to construct a 140 bedroom hotel on the estate, a development he has pledged not to progress should the wind farm be built.

The European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre, which is proposing the offshore wind farm, counters that renewable energy is essential to address climate change.-
This indicative view shows the schemes impact from the ninth tee at Menie
This indicative view shows the schemes impact from the ninth tee at Menie
This photomontage gives an indicative view of the wind farm's impact from Menie
This photomontage gives an indicative view of the wind farm's impact from Menie

19 Comments

michael F
#1 Posted by michael F on 12 Apr 2013 at 13:28 PM
on radio this morning the ebullient one modestly stated that the bouyant Aberdeen economy is purely down to his development! Deluded doesn't begin to describe him. An idea ocurred to me to lodge a planning application for some giant cardboard cut-outs of turbines and erect them within sight of the Menie estate. Now wouldn't be that be something everyone could rally around!
Partick Bateman
#2 Posted by Partick Bateman on 12 Apr 2013 at 13:48 PM
There is something very suspect about that rendering. Are the turbines actually that close?

It just doesn't look right...Deliberately misleading? Wouldnt surprise me.
CADMonkey
#3 Posted by CADMonkey on 12 Apr 2013 at 13:54 PM
You have to say he has a point. I recognise where this image is taken from. It is taken not from Trumps course but from behind the 18th green at Royal Aberdeen, a historic links (one of the oldest in the world) that is to hold the Scottish Open in 2014. These turbines do completely dominate the view and are extremely unsightly. No one can deny that. Presumably the development extends up the coast to Donald Trump's golf course too. Therefore I have complete sympathy for him. If they must exist surely they can be relocated to a less populated location, or better still further out to sea.
CADMonkey
#4 Posted by CADMonkey on 12 Apr 2013 at 14:20 PM
Lets not cast idle allegations.
I prefer to deal with facts.
Does anyone know if there are any photorealistic images prepared by the wind farm promoter? Is this one prepared by the promoter or Trump? Urban Realm - Where did you get it from?
urbanrealm
#5 Posted by urbanrealm on 12 Apr 2013 at 14:49 PM
This view looks east/north-east from Murcar Links Golf Course clubhouse. It was taken from an earlier report on EOWDC's application which can be viewed here... http://www.urbanrealm.com/news/3669/Trump_turbines_given_second_wind.html
urbanrealm
#6 Posted by urbanrealm on 12 Apr 2013 at 15:00 PM
For clarity I've added some photomontages looking south from Menie. The full set can be viewed here... http://www.vattenfall.co.uk/en/aowf-es-addendum.htm
Jim Wiegand
#7 Posted by Jim Wiegand on 12 Apr 2013 at 16:30 PM
My experience with the wind industry is that nothing is as it seems and every statement has to be scrutinized. In addition no one should ever dismiss the fact that this industry is taking billions and billions in profits off the taxpayer's backs. This is a clear motive to lie.



I recently reviewed another terrible mortality study worked up by the wind industry. It was sent to me by a very concerned group of people. For this study the actual kill rate was in the range of 500-600 bird and bat deaths per MW per
year. It could very easily be as high as 750 per year. The study reported about 6% of this number. I believe details about this disgraceful study including all the slimy little tricks that were used to hide mortality will be published soon.
There are dozens of other studies I would love to get my hands on and analyze but I can not find them. Many are from Texas and the central flyway wind farms.

Just remember wind power works great if you are being paid to sell it.

Wind power works great if politicians can help the industry food chain steal tax credits from taxpayers and then turn around and reward them again with carbon credits.

Wind power works great if ridding the world of species like whooping cranes and eagles is not a concern.

Wind power works great in power point presentations, animated clips, and sappy commercials.

Wind power works great if you would rather see an industrial landscape over god given beauty and productive ecosystems.

Wind power is fantastic if your goal is to waste time and resources on a non-solution to society's energy needs.

But wind power works best of all when Democracy takes a back seat to an assembly line of corruption allowing outsiders to plunder and pillage communities.

michael F
#8 Posted by michael F on 12 Apr 2013 at 16:54 PM
No, I'll tell you what is unsightly. Golf courses built upon ancient dunes. Arrogant tycoons who consider Scotland their playground, the Scottish government theirs to bully, who pretend to take a genuine interest in this country and its landscape but who are interested in nothing but enriching themselves yet further
wonky
#9 Posted by wonky on 12 Apr 2013 at 17:19 PM
Calm down dear- have a nice cup of tea.

How did a moron like Trump ever make that kind of money? He must have had a rich dad...
CADMonkey
#10 Posted by CADMonkey on 12 Apr 2013 at 17:40 PM
You are correct, its from the neighbouring course, Murcar GC, equally historic, one of the best courses in the world and even closer to Mr Trumps. It goes without saying that these are a shocking set of images and the people of Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire should be outraged. We will come to regret not listening to Mr Trump, instead we mock him. Who are the fools?
Partick Bateman
#11 Posted by Partick Bateman on 15 Apr 2013 at 09:04 AM
Wind power works best when it is used to rile people like Trump.
Automat
#12 Posted by Automat on 15 Apr 2013 at 11:48 AM
Surely it is a matter of opinion and taste, how can a court case be formed around that. I am sure you could find equal and more numbers of people who oppose to the aesthetic of the golf course, or the club house. Trump is trying to bully the courts to get his own way, pathetic really.
That other fella
#13 Posted by That other fella on 15 Apr 2013 at 13:31 PM
Jim said
'My experience with the wind industry is that nothing is as it seems and every statement has to be scrutinized. In addition no one should ever dismiss the fact that this industry is taking billions and billions in profits off the taxpayer's backs. This is a clear motive to lie'

er...times a factor of 20 for oil industry; times a factor of 1000 for the nuclear industry'

so Jim you'd better up your game laddie!
CADMonkey
#14 Posted by CADMonkey on 15 Apr 2013 at 13:56 PM
The golf course is only really visible if you are playing it. (You cant even see it from Menie beach, and you shouldnt be walking on the dunes as you will damage them!) These wind turbines will be visible to everyone up the entire stretch of coast. Look again at the images. Trumps analogy to it being like being in a prison is not actually wrong. Can nobody else see this? Again more petty Trump bashing is demeaning to your cause...whatever it is???
Automat
#15 Posted by Automat on 15 Apr 2013 at 15:16 PM
@ CADMonkey

How can you say that trump is correct on the turbines representing a prison? This his entirely his view on the objects, although there will be those who agree, there will also be those who disagree, personally I enjoy the aesthetic despite the flaws in wind power. It is ridiculous to pursue a court case based upon opinion, it is unquantifiable and personal.
Egbert
#16 Posted by Egbert on 15 Apr 2013 at 18:43 PM
Trump is a laughing stock, an embarrassment. I'd be very wary of parroting his organisation's skewed language (for example Jim Wiegand's talk of 'industrial landscapes') - to support his absurd case is surely to place yourself well and truly on the wrong side of the argument.
Jimbob Tanktop
#17 Posted by Jimbob Tanktop on 16 Apr 2013 at 12:54 PM
Trump Fact:
If he had just taken the money he inherited from daddy and stuck it in the bank, he'd have much more money than he now has.
CADMonkey
#18 Posted by CADMonkey on 16 Apr 2013 at 16:06 PM
I think Urban Realm will be siding with Trump if this legal challenge is not successfull. See "Ark Hill wind farm wins Pock Mark Award." Please also read the comments. All I hear from people defending wind power is anti-Trump rhetoric. People really need to open their eyes, face facts and the ladscape. They would be fine as an art installation, but they are permanent. Surely we should be investing in wave power not wind.
Sandy Pyle
#19 Posted by Sandy Pyle on 17 Apr 2013 at 12:39 PM
According to Mr.Trump, Royal Aberdeen Golf Course has already been destroyed by the wind turbine recently built on the adjacent industrial estate. So the facts that the Scottish Open is to be held there next year and that this course and Murcar are still in active use are somewhat inconvenient.

As a resident of Aberdeen, I am more concerned by the visual impact of ubiquitous sprawling suburbs and business parks on the setting of the city than wind turbines.

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