TRUMP’S LEGAL BATTLE BLOWN OFF COURSE
BILLIONAIRE Donald Trump yesterday lost the latest round of his legal challenge against an offshore wind farm he claims will spoil the view from his golf resort on the East Coast of Scotland.
The tycoon vowed to appeal against the ruling and stressed his ‘unwavering commitment’ to protecting his Scottish investment – but it later emerged he has bought a new golf resort in Ireland on which he intends to focus his ‘investment and energy’.
The US businessman’s legal team had asked the Court of Session to rule that the Scottish Government’s decision to approve the 11-turbine development, off the Aberdeenshire coast, was unlawful and should be overturned.
But Lord Doherty dismissed the petition yesterday and it was later confirmed Mr Trump has purchased the ‘spectacular Atlantic Ocean-fronting’ Doonbeg Golf Club in County Clare, to be renamed Trump International Golf Links, Ireland.
Mr Trump – who has previously said he would pull the plug on his controversial plans to finish his resort at Menie Estate, near Balmedie, if the wind farm goes ahead – said: ‘We will appeal this decision and in the meantime we will be focusing
‘Focusing our energy towards Ireland’
all of our investment and energy towards our new acquisition in Ireland.’
A spokesman for the businessman added: ‘Today’s decision has not altered our unwavering commitment to protect our investment in Scotland. We are reviewing Lord Doherty’s decision and will pursue the legal options available to us.
‘Despite today’s decision, the European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre (EOWDC) proposal has numerous economic and l egal obstacles that will ultimately prevent its construction.’
Mr Trump’s £1billion Scots development has courted controversy from the outset because part of it encroaches on a Site of Special Scientific Interest covering sand dunes, which are thousands of years old.
The offshore project was put together by Vattenfall Wind Power and Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group.
Under the plan, the turbines will have an installed capacity of up to 100MW and over one year would be capable of yielding, on average, enough electricity to power 68,000 UK households.
Mr Trump’s legal action was against the Scottish Government’s approval of the wind farm, granted in March last year.
Lawyers acting for Mr Trump sought judicial review of the Scottish Government’s decision not to hold a public inquiry in relation to the wind farm application and of its decision to grant consent for the project.
Trump International and The Trump Organisation argued that ministers had no power to grant the consent and that doing so was ‘irrational’.
They also maintained that for various reasons, including certain remarks said to have been made by Alex Salmond, a fair-minded person would conclude that there was a real possibility of bias on the part of the decision-maker.
But the judge rejected the legal bid and a summary of the opinion issued by the Judiciary of Scotland stated: ‘He was not persuaded that the fair-minded and informed observer would conclude there was a real possibility of bias on the part of the decision- maker; or that the decision not to have a public inquiry had been unreasonable or unlawful.’ EOWDC spokesman Iain Todd said: ‘This is a most welcome decision for the EOWDC and wider offshore wind industry.’
A Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘Scottish ministers are pleased the court has found in their favour.
‘The proposed European Off- s hore Wind Deployment Centre is an important project for Aberdeen and North-East Scotland.’
Lang Banks, director of environment charity WWF Scotland, said: ‘This result is great news. We hope Mr Trump will now stop wasting any more time on this case.’