Sign up for our daily newsletter

Latest news, reviews, analysis and opinion, plus unmissable deals for bunkered subscriptions, events, and our commercial partners.

Billionaire American tycoon angered by offshore windfarm proposals

The future of Donald Trump’s £750m golf development in Aberdeenshire is hanging in the balance after the billionaire businessmen called a halt to construction work.

Trump, who still plans to open his golf course at the Menie Estate near Balmedie, Aberdeenshire, this summer, will delay any future work on the site until a decision is made by the Scottish Government on proposals to build an offshore windfarm in the vicinity of his development.

A statement from the Trump Organisation said: “If the north east of Scotland is serious about tourism and creating a global golf destination, it cannot allow the coastline to be ruined by an ugly industrial park – 11 64-storey test turbines – directly off the shoreline.”

A planning application for the European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre was submitted last summer as part of a £150m joint venture by utility company Vattenfall, engineering firm Technip and Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group.

Trump has written twice to First Minister Alex Salmond to object to the proposals but, with no decision having yet been made on the application, the American tycoon has now cranked up the pressure on the Government by calling a halt to his plans to build a hotel and homes on the site.

topics

Bryce Ritchie is the Editor of bunkered and, in addition to leading on content and strategy, oversees all aspects of the brand. The first full-time journalist employed by bunkered, he joined the company in 2001 and has been editor since 2009. A member of Balfron Golfing Society, he currently plays off nine and once got a lesson from Justin Thomas’ dad.

Editor of bunkered