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Sewell Chan reports at The New York Times that Britain's highest court has unanimously rejected an attempt by Donald J. Trump to block the construction of a wind farm near his luxury golf resort in northeast Scotland. Trump has vowed to stop further development on the project if the offshore wind farm — 11 turbines, which would be visible from the golf resort 2.2 miles away — goes forward. Trump spokesman George A. Sorial denounced the ruling as "extremely unfortunate for the residents of Aberdeen and anyone who cares about Scotland's economic future" adding that the wind farm will "completely destroy the bucolic Aberdeen Bay and cast a terrible shadow upon the future of tourism for the area. History will judge those involved unfavorably, and the outcome demonstrates the foolish, small-minded and parochial mentality which dominates the current Scottish government's dangerous experiment with wind energy."
Nicola Sturgeon, first minister of Scotland, withdrew Trump's status as a business ambassador to Scotland last week after Trump called for Muslims to be barred from entering the United States. Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen has stripped Mr. Trump of an honorary degree it awarded him in 2010. Trump's mother was born in Scotland and moved to the United States in the 1930s. "I think I do feel Scottish," said Trump at one time.
(Score: 4, Informative) by turgid on Thursday December 17 2015, @08:45PM
I grew up near that beach, and I used to play on it as a small boy.
I still have friends in that area, and I remember the controversy surrounding the golf course when plans fir it were first submitted.
I left the area and moved to England for work when I was 21. When Scotland got its own devolved government, the national British news (e.g. BBC) stopped covering events in Scotland in any detail, but I got to hear the pro- propaganda from my friends and family. Also, familiarity breeds contempt, and when I was a young man I was bored with the place but as I got older I got a bit nostalgic and decided that the golf course wasn't a good idea, because unspoilt beaches and countryside in general are becoming rarer, and it's nice to have somewhere quiet and natural to go. Also, it's a Site of Special Scientific Interest. You really shouldn't build on it.
The story went, and the Scottish government believed it, that the golf course, hotel and holiday housing complex was going to be great for the economy, and that Trump was going to invest $1.5 billion in the venture. I was extremely sceptical. It's only a golf course! The rest of the story was that 6000 jobs would be created, which would be vital to the economy, since the oil industry (the main source of wealth in the area) would be going into decline. That's an awful lot of jobs for a golf course and a hotel... So the Scottish government bent over backwards and let the build go ahead.
What Trump and his big mouth, big wig and big bucks didn't realise was that some of the people in the area to be developed didn't want to move, and weren't interested in being bought off. So the bullying began,
The development went ahead. The total investment was more like $100M, and only 100 jobs have been created and a Site of Special Scientific Interest has been dug up. An unspoilt piece of beautiful, peaceful nature has been concreted over.
Scotland is quite progressive when it comes to renewable energy, and there have been major efforts to develop wind power both on- and off-shore. In fact, offshore, were old oil platforms are located, has been mooted as a good place to build wind turbines.
So Scotland wants to put up an offshore wind farm which will be visible from the Trump gold course, and Trump is crying and stamping his feet like a big spoilt baby that it will ruin the natural beauty of the place...
Hypocrites and ugly egos on both sides. It's not pretty.
I refuse to engage in a battle of wits with an unarmed opponent [wikipedia.org].
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday December 17 2015, @09:04PM
Perhaps they could compromise by siting the wind turbines on the golf course. The view of the sea would be unspoilt, construction and maintenance costs would be lessened, and Mr. Trump would make money off the lease.
(Score: 2) by turgid on Thursday December 17 2015, @09:34PM
There's the flaw in your plan right there: Trump being able to make more money out of his personal arrogance :-)
I refuse to engage in a battle of wits with an unarmed opponent [wikipedia.org].
(Score: 2) by fido_dogstoyevsky on Friday December 18 2015, @02:43AM
Perhaps they could compromise by siting the wind turbines on the golf course. The view of the sea would be unspoilt, construction and maintenance costs would be lessened, and Mr. Trump would make money off the lease.
Lease? Lease? What about compulsory acquisition?
It's NOT a conspiracy... it's a plot.
(Score: 2) by arslan on Friday December 18 2015, @03:54AM
You're on to something there. Trump could covert that part of the course to mini-golf. The turbines would make good obstacles... quick someone call his campaign manager!