March 22, 2013
Scotland

Trump organisation backs community battle against substation

By Neil Drysdale | 22 March 2013 | STV News | stv.tv

The Trump Organisation have joined forces with the residents of Blackdog in protesting against the EOWDC wind farm project in Aberdeen Bay.

The US-based organisation have backed the campaign by residents of the small Aberdeenshire community Blackdog, after council officials drew up proposals for an electricity substation, which could cost up to £230m, as part of the wider EOWDC plan.

If the scheme is agreed – and STV understands it has the approval of the council – people in the village of Blackdog, from where 62 out of 85 residents have written official letters of protest to the council, will have few avenues left to explore.

That prospect angers the Trump group, who are vehemently against the EOWDC scheme and are prepared to take legal action to stop it happening,

George Sorial, their executive vice-president, spoke exclusively to STV in backing the protests of the Blackdog dwellers.

Mr Sorial said: “We support all the neighbouring communities who are being forced to defend their homes and families from the threat of industrial turbines.

“The Formartine Area Commitee must recognise that the entire village stands united against the EOWDC proposal and that petty party politics must be put aside to protect the very people who elected and placed their trust in them.

“Any decision approving this terrible and politically-motivated proposal will be scrutinised when we seek a judicial review of the whole matter.”

The substation proposal will be considered by Aberdeenshire councillors on Tuesday. But the authority’s head of planning, Robert Gray, has given every indication that it will be given the go-ahead.

Mr Gray said: “The application does not fall within any of the categories of development, which require to be notified to Scottish Ministers, prior to determination.”

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/03/22/trump-organisation-backs-community-battle-against-substation/