| Wind Watch is a registered educational charity, founded in 2005. |
Trump pledges to fight windfarm plan in new row with developers
Credit: By Ryan Crighton, The Press and Journal, www.pressandjournal.co.uk 8 December 2010 ~~
Translate: FROM English | TO English
Translate: FROM English | TO English
Donald Trump has again clashed with rival developers over plans to build a windfarm off the stretch of north-east coastline where he is creating a £750million golf resort.
The American billionaire has already started work on what he believes will be the greatest golf course in the world at the Menie Estate, near Balmedie. Each of the 18 holes at the championship course have been designed to offer dramatic views of the North Sea as players weave their way through the site’s sand dunes – which Mr Trump has named The Great Dunes of Scotland.
However, plans to site 11 turbines around three miles off the coast of nearby Blackdog have once again cast a shadow over his proposals.
Those behind the European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre (EOWDC) are promising a potentially major economic spin-off.
But last night Mr Trump said he will fight to block the structures, which will stand at between 328ft and 394ft above sea level at low tide.
Mr Trump has criticised the plans in the past, before the turbines were sited farther towards Aberdeen. However, fresh designs – which went out to public consultation last month – have the turbines just over two and a half miles away. “Scotland is one the most beautiful places on earth with a coastline that is recognised around the world as being the best,” Mr Trump said.
“These turbines, if ever built, will in one fell swoop destroy Scotland’s magnificent natural heritage. They are noisy, unsightly and we will oppose the siting of this windfarm vehemently. Every component of our project is based upon sea views and we cannot allow the construction of what is tantamount to 11 65-storey structures off our beautiful coastline.”
The EOWDC, which is being taken forward by Vattenfall, Technip and Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group, would not only generate power for half the homes in Aberdeen but also act as a test centre for new technology.
It is hoped the windfarm – earmarked for £36million of European Union funding – will be operational by 2012.
Last night the EOWDC said the project was “potentially of huge importance to Scotland, the wider UK and Europe”.
A spokesman said: “The proposed EOWDC site lies offshore north of Aberdeen between Blackdog and Balmedie and was arrived at after extensive consultation with interested parties and all stakeholders. The project partners recently held five public information days in the north east regarding the proposed development.
“The views expressed at these events and those of a range of other stakeholders will be taken into account when submitting a planning application to Marine Scotland early next year.”
This article is the work of the source indicated. Any opinions expressed in it are not necessarily those of National Wind Watch.
The copyright of this article resides with the author or publisher indicated. As part of its noncommercial educational effort to present the environmental, social, scientific, and economic issues of large-scale wind power development to a global audience seeking such information, National Wind Watch endeavors to observe “fair use” as provided for in section 107 of U.S. Copyright Law and similar “fair dealing” provisions of the copyright laws of other nations. Send requests to excerpt, general inquiries, and comments via e-mail.
| Wind Watch relies entirely on User Funding |
 (via Stripe) |
 (via Paypal) |
Share:
[ Short URL: https://wind-watch.org/news/?p=44352 ]
