Exclusive:Warning of further 'loss' of dune grassland at Donald Trump's golf resort
Trump firm says changes will form ‘natural extension’ of ‘world class’ courses
Proposed changes to Donald Trump’s inaugural golf resort in Scotland could result in the further loss of dune grassland at the site, according to planning officials.
The US president’s business in Aberdeenshire has lodged plans to relocate a short game area closer to the coast at Foveran Links as part of ongoing works.
Aberdeenshire Council’s natural environment team said the works appeared to require the removal of gorse scrub, dune grassland and heathland habitats at the site.
Neighbours of Mr Trump’s property described the scheme as “unjustified,” and warned that it would result in a “significant loss” of existing coastal dune habitat.
However, the executive in charge of Mr Trump’s resort said it did not anticipate any biodiversity loss from the project, and described the work as a “natural extension of our world-class golf courses.”
In 2020, the sand dunes at Mr Trump’s resort lost their special status as a nationally important protected environment.
The government agency, Nature Scot, said that following construction on the site, the area no longer merited being retained as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), because it no longer included enough special features.
The agency, then known as Scottish Natural Heritage, previously concluded that the special features of the dune site had been “partially destroyed” with no prospect of recovery.
It told a planning inquiry that the development would seriously damage the SSSI. However, permission was granted by Scottish ministers on the basis that the potential economic benefit would outweigh environmental harm.
As part of the new plans, which would relocate the short game area south-east of the clubhouse at Trump International Scotland, the council’s natural environment team pointed out that the site lies partially within the Newburgh to Balmedie local nature conservation site (LNCS), an area which has been designated for its coastal habitats, diverse flora and invertebrates.
“While aerial photography shows that part of the site already comprises intensively managed grassland associated with the golf course the remainder appears to comprise dune grassland, gorse scrub and heathland habitats,” it said.
The response by Eleanor Munro, an environmental planner at the local authority, noted that Aberdeenshire Council’s local development plan means that where LNCS are impacted, “the proposal’s public benefits must clearly outweigh the nature conservation value of the site and that any impacts must clearly outweigh the nature conservation value of the site and that any impacts must be minimised through careful design and mitigation measures.”
She explained: “The applicant will require to demonstrate that the proposal will not adversely affect the LNCS and this is likely to be through an ecological appraisal of the site that considers the designation features of the LNCS and the habitats on site.”
Her submission added: “Although this would be clarified by an ecological appraisal, the proposal appears to require the removal of gorse scrub, dune grassland and heathland habitats. The loss of these will require to be factored in for compensation before enhancement is considered, in order to ensure no net loss of biodiversity.”
Several of Mr Trump’s neighbours in Balmedie have also objected to the plans. One, Rob Menlove, told the council: “The proposed development of this site will result in a significant loss of existing coastal dune habitat, including extensive stands of willow, gorse, heather, marram and other grasses. There appears to be no mitigation proposed or considered for the loss of habitat.”
Another neighbour, David Milne, a prominent critic of Mr Trump over the years, said the alteration to the landscape was “unjustified in any way,” stating: “The increased loss of natural habitat is unacceptable and should not be permitted. as is the loss of some standing water and wetland areas in this area.”
The planning application was submitted to local authority in December by Mark McMurray, a planning partner at the law firm, CMS Cameron Mckenna Nabarro Olswang.
Sarah Malone, executive vice president of Trump International Scotland, said: “We have submitted a proposal to Aberdeenshire Council to create an enhanced short game practice area that sits close to the clubhouse and within the existing footprint of our two outstanding golf courses.
“Part of the area in question is already used as the practice putting green. We do not anticipate there will be any biodiversity loss resulting from the project and a full ecological report has been submitted to the council which we believe addresses fully the matters covered in the report from the council’s environmental planner.
“A habitat management plan has also been developed to address all planning requirements. This project is a natural extension of our world-class golf courses which embrace the ecological diversity of the land.”
The scheme to relocate the short game practice area is not the only work being planned by Mr Trump’s resort. It has also submitted a planning application to expand its existing car park facilities at Menie Estate.
The part retrospective application states that work on the project started in November last year, and is set to increase the number of spaces from 135 to 179.
A supporting statement submitted by Mr McMurray as part of the application states that a cart storage facility that initially formed part of the project had been scrapped “in the interests of avoiding further delays which could impact on delivery of key infrastructure for hosting tournaments” this summer.
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