April 14, 2014
Ireland

Donald comes up Trumps over Irish windfarm project

By Christopher Rae | The Press and Journal | Published: 14/04/2014 | www.pressandjournal.co.uk

US billionaire Donald Trump has had better luck in his fight against plans for an Irish windfarm than the controversial Aberdeen Bay development.

The tycoon scrapped plans to further develop his golf resort at Menie in Aberdeenshire after proposals for an offshore windfarm was approved by the Scottish Government.

Days later, he announced he was investing £12.5million in the five-star Doonbeg resort in County Clare in Ireland. But history looked to be repeating itself after it emerged plans had been lodged with the local authority for nine onshore turbines at a site nearby.

But it has now emerged the project has been scrapped just before it was due to be discussed by council planners, after Mr Trump personally intervened.

Campaigners fighting the development by Clare Coastal Wind Power have revealed Mr Trump contacted them offering assistance.

Tony Lowes, director of Friends of the Irish Environment, said: “Mr Trump was very active – he called me up himself and said they were opposed to the windfarm and noticed the work we had done.

“It was certainly an unusual phone call to get. He just said he knew we were very active in efforts toopposeitandif therewas anything that could be done to let him know.”

Mr Lowes and his group had opposed the development, which was a scaled-down version of a larger w ind farm turneddownlast year, over fears it would damage the area’s delicate ecology.

He added that a letter from Clare County Council confirmed the application had been withdrawn and was now “invalid”. Last night the Trump Organisation said it was delighted the plans had been withdrawn and said work was well under way on the new resort.

Executive vice-president George Sorial said: “We are very pleased that the application has been withdrawn and alongside the local residents we will continue to monitor the situationandif necessary lodge a further objection.

“Work at Doonbeg, or as it is now known Trump Ireland, is progressing nicely and we are about to start major work on the sixth and ninth holes.

We look forward to making Trump Ireland even better than it was before.”

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2014/04/14/donald-comes-up-trumps-over-irish-windfarm-project/