PLEASE HELP SAVE OUR DUNES AND OUR HOMES
- by: Cornelia Hanning
- recipient: Anne Robertson - ABERDEENSHIRE COUNCIL, Roseanna Cunningham - SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT, Janez Potocnik - EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
.We, the undersigned, hereby request a halt to the building of the golf resort on the land of Menie House, Balmedie, Aberdeenshire in Scotland, to be built by Donald Trump of 'Trump International Golf Links Scotland Limited'.
( please see [1] for the golf resort )
The reasons for this request are two-fold but closely interlinked:
Firstly, the area ( Menie Links ) is a very special environment. It is a shifting sand dune system, one part ( Foveran Links ) of it actually being an SSSI ( Site of Special Scientific Interest ) which is protected by law ( Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 ), of which 1/3 ( even up to 40% ) will be destroyed alone.
( please see [2] for further information and links about exactly how special these dunes
and their eco-system are to even better understand the catastrophic impact of building here. )
Secondly, there are the people: some families and some individuals, of all ages. They have lived around these dunes for varying amounts of time in each case, all of them long, some even all their lives They have made their homes here, they work here and they brought up their families in this environment - they are happy here, this is where they want to be. Yet now they have a potential threat hanging over them and it is called a CPO ( Compulsory Purchase Order ). Not one of of them wants to give their property up, at any price - but if this resort will be built they may be forced to sell. The People - http://www.trippinguptrump.com/ this link will indicate the passion they feel about the place they live in, better than I can ever express.
Both the dunes and the people desperately need our help to prevent this from happening.
Thank you for signing. With polite but firm persistance on all our parts I hope we can make a difference.
[1]
'Trump International Golf Links Scotland Limited' ( TIGLS ) applies to Aberdeen Council ( A.C. ) for outline planning permission for a golf resort on the land of Menie House, Balmedie, Aberdeenshire in Scotland, comprising of the following:
Two 18-hole golf courses, clubhouse and ancillary facilities, 450-room hotel with conference room and spa, 950 holiday apartments, 36 golf villas, 500 houses, accomodation for 400 staff, road access and parking. ( some of that has been subsequently amended but the overall picture remains the same ).
It is blindingly obvious that a complex of such proportions will have an enormous environmental impact, especially in such a sensitive area, during all it's preparatory and building stages right through to when it becomes operational.
[2]
Part of the above outlined resort is to be located in the spectacular sand dune system at Menie Links, including 1/3 ( even up to 40% ) of Foveran Links SSSI which is 1 of 5 top five dune habitats in the whole of the UK. The high conservation value coastline is recognised at both European ( 5 priority European habitats present ) and national level ( 'coastal sand dunes' being listed as priority habitat in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan ). It is nationally of biological and geological importance.
'Foveran Links SSSI has been described as one of the best examples of this type of shifting sand dune system in North Western Europe.'
In this dynamic dune system the wind blown sand creates new landforms, and new bare patches on which plants have the chance to colonise. Other vegetation may become completely covered by the wind blown sand. So the higher and lower plant communities are forever changing, this in turn attracts a variety of different species depending on conditions. The accompanying animal communities, including diverse bird breeding groups and otters, react in a similarly dynamic way.
Creating a golf course here means that the dunes have to be stabilised, freezing them so to speak - exactly the opposite of how they are now, meaning that we would lose the whole specialist ecosystem which depends on this shifting environment, forever.
Even Donald Trump's own developers admit that there would be substantial damage to the Flora and Fauna of the SSSI. TIGLS recognise the uniqueness of the area yet say that without it "the applicant's ambition would not be realised".
Granting planning consent contravenes the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 which places duty on every public body and office-holder to further the conservation of biodiversity. The planning consent is also at odds with local and national biodiversity targets as well as several statutory planning policies and A.C.'s own local plan.
Important dates and facts in decision making:
27.11.2006 - TIGLS submits application to A.C.
29.11.2007 - A.C. refuse application ( in consultation and agreement with SWT ( Scottish Wildlife Trust,a major conservation body) ), a clear acknowledgement of the unacceptable level of impact on this environment
1 week later - Scottish Ministers call in application for further scrutiny ( reason given: development of "national importance" )
28.2.2008 - the Scottish Government announces that a Public Local Inquiry be held from...
...10.6. - 4.7. 2008 - for this SWT joins forces with the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) and BSBI (Botanical Society of the British Isles) to create a strong case. Both SWT and RSPB comission a respected golf course architect to design two alternative championship standard golf courses on Menie Estate but excluding the SSSI, the finished design clearly showing worldclass courses without it. Yet theTrump team objected that this would not realise Mr. Trump's "ambitions"
3.11.2008 - Cabinet Secretary John Swinney gives permission for outline planning after it has been decided by the Government that the building of this resort outweighs the importance of the SSSI
Since then SWT maintains it's objection to the building of the resort on the grounds of it's irreversible and unjustified impact on an important dune system, specifically the SSSI. It is keeping close watch that at the very least all the conditions of the consent ( Section 75 Agreement ) are met.
September 2009 - SWT lodges objection to a new application by TIGLS for planting Marram Grass ( freezing the dunes ), preparatory earthworks and chestnut pale fencing at Menie links inner dunes, which is seen in clear breach of conditions set out in Section 75 Agreement under the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997.
Starting work before submitting a full "Environmental Management Plan" is seen as ignoring planning conditions agreed by TIGLS with A.C.
SWT have asked A.C. to refuse this new planning permission until previous conditions have been met but A.C. are ignoring SWT -
28.10.2009 - work started....
.....but it is never too late to call it a halt, never too late for change.
link to SWT and the campaign in yet more detail: http://swt.org.uk/campaigns/trump-development/
.
( please see [1] for the golf resort )
The reasons for this request are two-fold but closely interlinked:
Firstly, the area ( Menie Links ) is a very special environment. It is a shifting sand dune system, one part ( Foveran Links ) of it actually being an SSSI ( Site of Special Scientific Interest ) which is protected by law ( Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 ), of which 1/3 ( even up to 40% ) will be destroyed alone.
( please see [2] for further information and links about exactly how special these dunes
and their eco-system are to even better understand the catastrophic impact of building here. )
Secondly, there are the people: some families and some individuals, of all ages. They have lived around these dunes for varying amounts of time in each case, all of them long, some even all their lives They have made their homes here, they work here and they brought up their families in this environment - they are happy here, this is where they want to be. Yet now they have a potential threat hanging over them and it is called a CPO ( Compulsory Purchase Order ). Not one of of them wants to give their property up, at any price - but if this resort will be built they may be forced to sell. The People - http://www.trippinguptrump.com/ this link will indicate the passion they feel about the place they live in, better than I can ever express.
Both the dunes and the people desperately need our help to prevent this from happening.
Thank you for signing. With polite but firm persistance on all our parts I hope we can make a difference.
[1]
'Trump International Golf Links Scotland Limited' ( TIGLS ) applies to Aberdeen Council ( A.C. ) for outline planning permission for a golf resort on the land of Menie House, Balmedie, Aberdeenshire in Scotland, comprising of the following:
Two 18-hole golf courses, clubhouse and ancillary facilities, 450-room hotel with conference room and spa, 950 holiday apartments, 36 golf villas, 500 houses, accomodation for 400 staff, road access and parking. ( some of that has been subsequently amended but the overall picture remains the same ).
It is blindingly obvious that a complex of such proportions will have an enormous environmental impact, especially in such a sensitive area, during all it's preparatory and building stages right through to when it becomes operational.
[2]
Part of the above outlined resort is to be located in the spectacular sand dune system at Menie Links, including 1/3 ( even up to 40% ) of Foveran Links SSSI which is 1 of 5 top five dune habitats in the whole of the UK. The high conservation value coastline is recognised at both European ( 5 priority European habitats present ) and national level ( 'coastal sand dunes' being listed as priority habitat in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan ). It is nationally of biological and geological importance.
'Foveran Links SSSI has been described as one of the best examples of this type of shifting sand dune system in North Western Europe.'
In this dynamic dune system the wind blown sand creates new landforms, and new bare patches on which plants have the chance to colonise. Other vegetation may become completely covered by the wind blown sand. So the higher and lower plant communities are forever changing, this in turn attracts a variety of different species depending on conditions. The accompanying animal communities, including diverse bird breeding groups and otters, react in a similarly dynamic way.
Creating a golf course here means that the dunes have to be stabilised, freezing them so to speak - exactly the opposite of how they are now, meaning that we would lose the whole specialist ecosystem which depends on this shifting environment, forever.
Even Donald Trump's own developers admit that there would be substantial damage to the Flora and Fauna of the SSSI. TIGLS recognise the uniqueness of the area yet say that without it "the applicant's ambition would not be realised".
Granting planning consent contravenes the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 which places duty on every public body and office-holder to further the conservation of biodiversity. The planning consent is also at odds with local and national biodiversity targets as well as several statutory planning policies and A.C.'s own local plan.
Important dates and facts in decision making:
27.11.2006 - TIGLS submits application to A.C.
29.11.2007 - A.C. refuse application ( in consultation and agreement with SWT ( Scottish Wildlife Trust,a major conservation body) ), a clear acknowledgement of the unacceptable level of impact on this environment
1 week later - Scottish Ministers call in application for further scrutiny ( reason given: development of "national importance" )
28.2.2008 - the Scottish Government announces that a Public Local Inquiry be held from...
...10.6. - 4.7. 2008 - for this SWT joins forces with the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) and BSBI (Botanical Society of the British Isles) to create a strong case. Both SWT and RSPB comission a respected golf course architect to design two alternative championship standard golf courses on Menie Estate but excluding the SSSI, the finished design clearly showing worldclass courses without it. Yet theTrump team objected that this would not realise Mr. Trump's "ambitions"
3.11.2008 - Cabinet Secretary John Swinney gives permission for outline planning after it has been decided by the Government that the building of this resort outweighs the importance of the SSSI
Since then SWT maintains it's objection to the building of the resort on the grounds of it's irreversible and unjustified impact on an important dune system, specifically the SSSI. It is keeping close watch that at the very least all the conditions of the consent ( Section 75 Agreement ) are met.
September 2009 - SWT lodges objection to a new application by TIGLS for planting Marram Grass ( freezing the dunes ), preparatory earthworks and chestnut pale fencing at Menie links inner dunes, which is seen in clear breach of conditions set out in Section 75 Agreement under the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997.
Starting work before submitting a full "Environmental Management Plan" is seen as ignoring planning conditions agreed by TIGLS with A.C.
SWT have asked A.C. to refuse this new planning permission until previous conditions have been met but A.C. are ignoring SWT -
28.10.2009 - work started....
.....but it is never too late to call it a halt, never too late for change.
link to SWT and the campaign in yet more detail: http://swt.org.uk/campaigns/trump-development/
.
We, the undersigned, hereby request a halt to the building of the golf resort on the land of Menie House, Balmedie, Aberdeenshire in Scotland, to be built by Donald Trump of 'Trump International Golf Links Scotland Limited'.
( please see [1] for the golf resort )
The reasons for this request are two-fold but closely interlinked:
Firstly, the area ( Menie Links ) is a very special environment. It is a shifting sand dune system, one part ( Foveran Links ) of it actually being an SSSI ( Site of Special Scientific Interest ) which is protected by law ( Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 ), of which 1/3 ( even up to 40% ) will be destroyed alone.
( please see [2] for further information about exactly how special these dunes and their ecosystem are to even better understand the catastrophic impact of building here. )
Secondly, there are the people: some families and some individuals, of all ages. They have lived around these dunes for varying amounts of time in each case, all of them long, some even all their lives They have made their homes here, they work here and they brought up their families in this environment - they are happy here, this is where they want to be. Yet now they have a potential threat hanging over them in the shape of CPOs ( Compulsory Purchase Order ). Not one of of them wants to give their property up, at any price - but if this resort will be built they may be forced to sell.
We, the undersigned, would like the work which has been started to be halted and an inquiry into the validity of the building of this golf-course, at least in it's present form, set up as soon as possible, please.
We thank you for your time taken in reading this.
[1]
'Trump International Golf Links Scotland Limited' ( TIGLS ) applies to Aberdeen Council ( A.C. ) for outline planning permission for a golf resort on the land of Menie House, Balmedie, Aberdeenshire in Scotland, comprising of the following:
Two 18-hole golf courses, clubhouse and ancillary facilities, 450-room hotel with conference room and spa, 950 holiday apartments, 36 golf villas, 500 houses, accommodation for 400 staff, road access and parking. ( some of that has been subsequently amended but the overall picture remains the same ).
It is blindingly obvious that a complex of such proportions will have an enormous environmental impact, especially in such a sensitive area, during all it's preparatory and building stages right through to when it becomes operational.
[2]
Part of the above outlined resort is to be located in the spectacular sand dune system at Menie Links, including 1/3 ( even up to 40% ) of Foveran Links SSSI which is 1 of 5 top five dune habitats in the whole of the UK. The high conservation value coastline is recognised at both European ( 5 priority European habitats present ) and national level ( 'coastal sand dunes' being listed as priority habitat in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan ). It is nationally of biological and geological importance.
'Foveran Links SSSI has been described as one of the best examples of this type of shifting sand dune system in North Western Europe.'
In this dynamic dune system the wind blown sand creates new landforms, and new bare patches on which plants have the chance to colonise. Other vegetation may become completely covered by the wind blown sand. So the higher and lower plant communities are forever changing, this in turn attracts a variety of different species depending on conditions. The accompanying animal communities, including diverse bird breeding groups and otters, react in a similarly dynamic way.
Creating a golf course here means that the dunes have to be stabilised, freezing them so to speak - exactly the opposite of how they are now, meaning that we would lose the whole specialist ecosystem which depends on this shifting environment, forever.
Even Donald Trump's own developers admit that there would be substantial damage to the Flora and Fauna of the SSSI. TIGLS recognise the uniqueness of the area yet say that without it "the applicant's ambition would not be realised".
Granting planning consent contravenes the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 which places duty on every public body and office-holder to further the conservation of biodiversity. The planning consent is also at odds with local and national biodiversity targets as well as several statutory planning policies and A.C.'s own local plan.
Important dates and facts in decision making:
27.11.2006 - TIGLS submits application to A.C.
29.11.2007 - A.C. refuse application ( in consultation and agreement with SWT ( Scottish Wildlife Trust,a major conservation body) ), a clear acknowledgement of the unacceptable level of impact on this environment
1 week later - Scottish Ministers call in application for further scrutiny ( reason given: development of "national importance" )
28.2.2008 - the Scottish Government announces that a Public Local Inquiry be held from...
...10.6. - 4.7.2008 - for this SWT joins forces with the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) and BSBI (Botanical Society of the British Isles) to create a strong case. Both SWT and RSPB commission a respected golf course architect to design two alternative championship standard golf courses on Menie Estate but excluding the SSSI, the finished design clearly showing world-class courses without it. Yet the Trump team objected that this would not realise Mr. Trump's "ambitions"
3.11.2008 - Cabinet Secretary John Swinney gives permission for outline planning after it has been decided by the Government that the building of this resort outweighs the importance of the SSSI
Since then SWT maintains it's objection to the building of the resort on the grounds of it's irreversible and unjustified impact on an important dune system, specifically the SSSI. It is keeping close watch that at the very least all the conditions of the consent ( Section 75 Agreement ) are met.
September 2009 - SWT lodges objection to a new application by TIGLS for planting Marram Grass ( freezing the dunes ), preparatory earthworks and chestnut pale fencing at Menie links inner dunes, which is seen in clear breach of conditions set out in Section 75 Agreement under the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997.
Starting work before submitting a full "Environmental Management Plan" is seen as ignoring planning conditions agreed by TIGLS with A.C.
SWT have asked A.C. to refuse this new planning permission until previous conditions have been met but A.C. are ignoring SWT -
28.10.2009 - work started.
Sign PetitionSign Petition( please see [1] for the golf resort )
The reasons for this request are two-fold but closely interlinked:
Firstly, the area ( Menie Links ) is a very special environment. It is a shifting sand dune system, one part ( Foveran Links ) of it actually being an SSSI ( Site of Special Scientific Interest ) which is protected by law ( Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 ), of which 1/3 ( even up to 40% ) will be destroyed alone.
( please see [2] for further information about exactly how special these dunes and their ecosystem are to even better understand the catastrophic impact of building here. )
Secondly, there are the people: some families and some individuals, of all ages. They have lived around these dunes for varying amounts of time in each case, all of them long, some even all their lives They have made their homes here, they work here and they brought up their families in this environment - they are happy here, this is where they want to be. Yet now they have a potential threat hanging over them in the shape of CPOs ( Compulsory Purchase Order ). Not one of of them wants to give their property up, at any price - but if this resort will be built they may be forced to sell.
We, the undersigned, would like the work which has been started to be halted and an inquiry into the validity of the building of this golf-course, at least in it's present form, set up as soon as possible, please.
We thank you for your time taken in reading this.
[1]
'Trump International Golf Links Scotland Limited' ( TIGLS ) applies to Aberdeen Council ( A.C. ) for outline planning permission for a golf resort on the land of Menie House, Balmedie, Aberdeenshire in Scotland, comprising of the following:
Two 18-hole golf courses, clubhouse and ancillary facilities, 450-room hotel with conference room and spa, 950 holiday apartments, 36 golf villas, 500 houses, accommodation for 400 staff, road access and parking. ( some of that has been subsequently amended but the overall picture remains the same ).
It is blindingly obvious that a complex of such proportions will have an enormous environmental impact, especially in such a sensitive area, during all it's preparatory and building stages right through to when it becomes operational.
[2]
Part of the above outlined resort is to be located in the spectacular sand dune system at Menie Links, including 1/3 ( even up to 40% ) of Foveran Links SSSI which is 1 of 5 top five dune habitats in the whole of the UK. The high conservation value coastline is recognised at both European ( 5 priority European habitats present ) and national level ( 'coastal sand dunes' being listed as priority habitat in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan ). It is nationally of biological and geological importance.
'Foveran Links SSSI has been described as one of the best examples of this type of shifting sand dune system in North Western Europe.'
In this dynamic dune system the wind blown sand creates new landforms, and new bare patches on which plants have the chance to colonise. Other vegetation may become completely covered by the wind blown sand. So the higher and lower plant communities are forever changing, this in turn attracts a variety of different species depending on conditions. The accompanying animal communities, including diverse bird breeding groups and otters, react in a similarly dynamic way.
Creating a golf course here means that the dunes have to be stabilised, freezing them so to speak - exactly the opposite of how they are now, meaning that we would lose the whole specialist ecosystem which depends on this shifting environment, forever.
Even Donald Trump's own developers admit that there would be substantial damage to the Flora and Fauna of the SSSI. TIGLS recognise the uniqueness of the area yet say that without it "the applicant's ambition would not be realised".
Granting planning consent contravenes the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 which places duty on every public body and office-holder to further the conservation of biodiversity. The planning consent is also at odds with local and national biodiversity targets as well as several statutory planning policies and A.C.'s own local plan.
Important dates and facts in decision making:
27.11.2006 - TIGLS submits application to A.C.
29.11.2007 - A.C. refuse application ( in consultation and agreement with SWT ( Scottish Wildlife Trust,a major conservation body) ), a clear acknowledgement of the unacceptable level of impact on this environment
1 week later - Scottish Ministers call in application for further scrutiny ( reason given: development of "national importance" )
28.2.2008 - the Scottish Government announces that a Public Local Inquiry be held from...
...10.6. - 4.7.2008 - for this SWT joins forces with the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) and BSBI (Botanical Society of the British Isles) to create a strong case. Both SWT and RSPB commission a respected golf course architect to design two alternative championship standard golf courses on Menie Estate but excluding the SSSI, the finished design clearly showing world-class courses without it. Yet the Trump team objected that this would not realise Mr. Trump's "ambitions"
3.11.2008 - Cabinet Secretary John Swinney gives permission for outline planning after it has been decided by the Government that the building of this resort outweighs the importance of the SSSI
Since then SWT maintains it's objection to the building of the resort on the grounds of it's irreversible and unjustified impact on an important dune system, specifically the SSSI. It is keeping close watch that at the very least all the conditions of the consent ( Section 75 Agreement ) are met.
September 2009 - SWT lodges objection to a new application by TIGLS for planting Marram Grass ( freezing the dunes ), preparatory earthworks and chestnut pale fencing at Menie links inner dunes, which is seen in clear breach of conditions set out in Section 75 Agreement under the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997.
Starting work before submitting a full "Environmental Management Plan" is seen as ignoring planning conditions agreed by TIGLS with A.C.
SWT have asked A.C. to refuse this new planning permission until previous conditions have been met but A.C. are ignoring SWT -
28.10.2009 - work started.
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