Trump Golf Project in Balmedie Scotland Faces Opposition

May 14, 2009
FoxxyBB

Hey LUXies, Donald Trump has a $1.5 billion development project underway in Balmedie, Scotland on the edge of the North Sea. This overall plan encompasses about 1,400 acres of untouched land with ocean views and is described as the perfect setting to build “two-golf courses, a 450-bedroom hotel, 950 vacation homes, 500 single-family houses, a conference center and a golf academy.”

However, life is not as LUX as it sounds. Local residents fear that a project of this size and carries the Trump name, will not only have long-lasting negative effects on local wildlife, but will reek city havoc on their serene seaside oasis.

This land had a special classification of ‘Site of Special Scientific Interest,’ which was meant to protect this property from major construction processes such as this one, has since been overturned by the Scottish cabinet. The local government of Aberdeenshire is against this proposal and with the new approval from higher ups there isn’t much more they can do to protest this project from moving forward.

One gentleman in particular, Michael Forbes, is taking a stand. He owns about 23 acres of land in the middle of this proposed development project and is refusing to sell to Trump. Mr. Forbes has been a longtime resident of this area and has no plans to move or back down for that matter to the idle threats made towards him. Rather, he is fighting back and has painted an ‘anti-Trump’ slogan on the side of his barn to visually demonstrate his strong opposition to being pushed out of the land that he calls home.

Although officials have approved this project to start construction as early as next year, many of the locals are not backing down. What Mr. Trump plans to do about this is yet to be seen. Perhaps, there could be a way to meet in the middle—the Trump Organization could incorporate the local’s feedback to address their concerns into the overall design. It could help to preserve this pristine ocean property and provide an opportunity for Trump to demonstrate his eco-LUX side for a change.