Son says Donald Trump may commit £10 million to windfarm fight  

Credit:  The Courier, www.thecourier.co.uk 29 February 2012 ~~

The son of US tycoon Donald Trump has claimed his father may spend more than £10m on fighting wind turbine proposals.

Mr Trump Jr spoke after meeting MSPs to discuss whether his father would give evidence to a Scottish Parliament committee examining renewable energy.

On Thursday evening a senior official from the Trump Organisation will visit St Andrews to meet Fife windfarm campaigners.

Mr Trump Sr is battling £150m proposals to site 11 turbines off the Aberdeenshire coast, near his controversial golf resort at the Menie Estate. A decision on the offshore application is expected later this year.

Mr Trump Sr previously called turbines ”ugly monstrosities” and ”horrendous machines”.

He said he would bankroll the Communities Against Turbines Scotland (CATS) anti-windfarm campaign ”to save Scotland”.

Scottish Government economy, energy and tourism committee convener Murdo Fraser said the talks with Mr Trump Jr had been ”exploratory” and investigated the ”possibility” of inviting Mr Trump to give evidence to the committee.

Mr Fraser said the meeting was ”worthwhile”.

He said: ”His (Mr Trump’s) representatives understood fully that our committee does not have a decision-making role in relation to any individual development or to specific offshore windfarms.

”However, there may be scope to hear any evidence they might have on how renewable energy policy in Scotland can impact on tourism or on inward investment.”

Mr Fraser will report back to the committee on March 7.

A full house is expected at St Andrews Town Hall for Thursday’s public information evening. The event has been organised by Cameron Community Council.