Trump faces new turbine battle

Tycoon Donald Trump is facing a fresh battle over wind turbines at his new golf resort on the west coast of Ireland.

The billionaire businessman last week withdrew plans to build a second luxury golf course in Aberdeenshire after losing a legal battle to stop the construction of an 11-turbine wind farm off the coast.

He then revealed he has invested £12.4 million in the Doonbeg Golf Club in County Clare instead, which he has promised to transform into a world-class venue.

But The Sunday Post can reveal a planning application has been lodged for nine 126-metre high wind turbines to be built just three miles inland from the course.

The application, submitted to Clare County Council, is due to be heard in just six weeks’ time and campaigners have revealed they will be contacting Mr Trump to seek his help.

Tony Lowes, a director of campaign group Friends of the Irish Environment, said: “I think people will listen to him in a way they would not usually listen to environmentalists like ourselves.

“I would say a word from Donald Trump would be worth a book from us. If he got involved it would mean we can hire proper consultants and engineers who would stand up in a hearing. It is quite hard for us to produce evidence on that level.”

Mr Lowes claimed the turbines would be visible from the golf course and have a detrimental impact on the ecology of the area.

He added: “It sounds as if it will. It is a flat, open area. From my knowledge of the area I would have thought so. I believe they will be scattered so they would cover a large area.”

The application is a scaled-down version of a bigger application for 45 turbines to be built in a £1.6m development, which was rejected last year following a two-year battle.

The refusal was said to have left residents divided with 79 landowners missing out on significant payments from the firm, agreed through land lease deals.

And the council’s development plan for 2011 to 2017 shows there is significant pressure to approve wind farms in the area.

In order for Clare to comply with a national target of producing 40% of energy through renewables by 2020, the council must more than double its 2011 wind turbine approval rate.

The report also confirmed the west coast of Ireland has some of the highest wind speeds in the country.

But Clare County Councillor Patrick Kelly, who represents Kilrush, which includes the luxury golf resort, said he was confident the plan would be rejected.

He said: “Whatever objections were there already will be multiplied. One because the other application failed and two because of the golf club.

“Now they have become aware this was an issue in Scotland and we will have a reinvigorated attack this time.”

Councillor Kelly added the council was planning an internationally promoted ‘Wild Atlantic Way’ driving route which should not be spoiled by wind turbines.

The Sunday Post contacted The Trump Organization but nobody responded.