Menie Archives - Page 9 of 17

Trump’s Retrospective Planning Application Deferred

Mar 262013

By Suzanne Kelly.

Aberdeeenshire Council’s Formartine Area Committee met today, Tuesday 26 March, and decided not to grant retrospective planning permission to Trump International Golf Links for works at the Menie Estate which had gone against the approved plan.

A Council spokesperson advised that:-

“the application was deferred to allow a site visit and a public hearing. (there was no vote – the action was agreed by committee). The date and time of both will be arranged in due course.”

The Planning Officer had recommended granting retrospective permission, which would have seen a giant mound of earth block the Munro home’s access to light approved. The bund had already caused problems for the family when first constructed; dirt and sand from it blew into their property including their home, and damaged cars.

Campaigners also celebrated today as the Government gave the go-ahead to the offshore windfarms Trump so desperately vowed to fight. Area resident David Milne commented:-

“It came as no surprise, but it was still pleasing to hear that the Scottish Government had decided to retain control over their own energy policy and not hand it over to a non resident, self interested developer.

“It was, however, more surprising and even more pleasing that Aberdeenshire Council decided not to issue retrospective permission for unlawfully constructed bunds surrounding the Munros home at Menie and instead delay their decision until a site visit has taken place; they have after all only had since the spring of last year to consider this.

“Whilst the 17800 signatories to the call for a public inquiry into their behaviour may have had some effect, we can but hope that common sense has finally reared its head with the council, I shall wait and see if this logical and honest decision is the start of a trend or an aberration.”

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The Laird O Menie’s Fules

Creative Writing, Opinion 1 Response »

Mar 212013

By Bob Smith.

Lord McCluskey his recommendit
We shud regulate Scottish press
Iss his caused a richt ballyhoo
Fae Stranraer up tae Stromness

The press maun hae freedom
Tae tell us aa fit’s fit
Bit ower mony o oor tabloids
Jist print a load o shit

The SNP is noo thinkin
O publishin it’s ain paper
Mony fowk are nae in favour
O iss propaganda caper

The opeenion column o the P&J
His been caain fer democracy
Thoosans o fowk wull be laachin
Aboot their bliddy hypocrisy

Aa iss fae oor local paper
Faa’s bias tae Trump’s weel kent
Yet views fae Tripping up Trump
They widna pit intae print

“Traitors” bawled the “Evenin Express”
At the cooncillors faa voted no
Fin Trump’s application wis thrown oot
“EE” condemnation wisna slow

A paper’s voice maan be heard
As lang’s they play bi the rules
An nae be thocht o nation wide
As “The Laird o Menie’s Fules”

Bob Smith “The Poetry Mannie” 2013

Old Susannah’s Journal No. 114 – Stop (the) Press!

Opinion, Satire and Humour 12 Responses »

Mar 212013

Voice’s Old Susannah takes a look over the past week’s events in the ‘Deen and beyond. By Suzanne Kelly.

Tally Ho! Apologies for the late running of this column.

For one thing I’ve been a bit tied up with issues at the Menie Estate. I’ve compiled a report covering some of the little issues people have with the galaxy’s greatest golf course and Mr Trump. Leaving aside boring issues such as the quality of life for residents, visitors and wildlife, it was a huge honour to be one of the first people to see the brand new plaque by the course’s temporary (?) clubhouse.

This plaque tells you the course has been ‘weaved’ through the ‘largest dunes in the world’.

Of course it has. I wonder whether The Donald wrote this brilliant prose himself, or if one of our BiG local PR agencies devised it for him. It is very inspirational – I just won’t tell you what I felt inspired to do.

While at the course I had hoped to interview some of the thousands of new employees working in the promised golf jobs, and ask what was going on with the millions of pounds of income generated. I couldn’t find these new employees – perhaps they were all out counting their money. However, I was lucky enough to see one of the rarest forms of wildlife, the lesser-spotted Sarah Malone-Bates.

It was wearing a bright pink blouse (which was interesting, as the rest of us needed coats, hats and gloves). She must have been cold, but a little suffering is the price of beauty. (I note that there are a few beauty contests coming up in our area; isn’t it great to know how important looks are, and what humanitarian ends beauty contest winners can get up to.

Some say beauty is skin deep; others that beauty is as beauty does. I wonder what Mrs Maloney-Baloney thinks. They also say you get the face you deserve by the time you’re 40. I wonder what Mr Trump thinks on that score).

Other than that, there has been so much activity of late that it’s hard to know where to start.

First, a thank you to the nice people at Lunan Farm Shop & Cafe, who helped me when my mobile phone got lost. I was quite put out, worried I might miss a call asking me to join ACSEF, or offering me a vice-presidency job at Trump International. I have my phone back now, and am awaiting those calls which should come any day now.

What Lunan and the Farm Shop/Cafe lack in connectivity and vibrancy, they make up for in other ways and then some. Like being nice and serving real food.

As per usual an amazing visit to BrewDog; their man Fisher has painted an amazing black and white mural there, and starting 25/3, the walls will feature artwork from up and coming area residents.

What’s clean air and wildlife compared to someone somewhere making money?

When I go jogging around Nigg Bay, there are more and more other joggers to be seen, as well as walkers, cyclists, golfers and wildlife spotters. We’re all thrilled to think the Harbour Board wants to ruin the last stretch of coastline with potential harbour expansion. Money before environment has worked really well in Aberdeenshire.

We’ve got a great situation at Menie, with compromised SSSIs, we’ve got some of the top ten most polluted roads (funny that includes roads near the harbour), and a sewage plant. Let’s just finish the job, deal nature a final blow, and turn Nigg Bay into a money-maker, too. What’s clean air and wildlife compared to someone somewhere making money?

Before getting to some definitions, there is some sad news. A gentle giant, humble, meek and softly-spoken has left Aberdeen City Council (no, not Pete Leonard. Yet). Perhaps you’d best sit down (if you’re not already): Gerry Brough has left – resigned.

Without Gerry, we couldn’t have spent hundreds of thousands of pounds on the City Garden Project, which brought so much harmony to our city. His timid, mild behaviour at meetings might have made him easy to overlook, but let’s look at some of his many accomplishments.

Without Gerry, we might have had a chance to vote ‘No’ to building in UTG when presented with the shortlist of ‘designs’ for turning UTG into shops and parking. Where would we have been then?

He selflessly ‘donated’ about 11 hours per week of his own time to sit on various City Garden Project committees, with no thought of eventual reward, disregarding EU work-time directives. I’m sure his family felt deprived of his sunny disposition.

Some might say this free work done by Brough Trade was a smokescreen to make it look as if the project didn’t cost anything to the taxpayer and to help him get in with the ACSEF mob or the odd billionaire. But I knew he had a good heart. A heart of granite.

For some strange reason, several of the shops have folded, and one became an internet business

Who else will represent Aberdeen in Houston and Grenoble? We flew him there for very important meetings and conventions last year. If those important meetings coincided with cuts to services for the elderly and school facilities, it was worth it. Then there was the way he was fair to both sides of the garden referendum debate.

His involvement in how the referendum question was worded was sadly not appreciated by the Friends of Union Terrace Gardens. Gerry said at the time the FOUTG were trying to ‘undermine’ the process.

If by undermining it he meant not accepting 11th hour wording changes or being railroaded into a lamely-worded question, Gerry was right. (see also https://aberdeenvoice.com/2011/12/utg-referendum-question-already-soured/ ).

He also helped give us ’Retail Rocks!’ in Torry. On the one hand, it brought shops back into use. Well, for a few months anyway. Even if this rocking scheme created unfair advantage for the new shopkeepers over existing businesses, and took tens of thousands of taxpayer pounds in the process, it’s what Gerry wanted. I think this was really just his way of helping to stimulate the economy (for consultants and shopfitters).

For some strange reason, several of the shops have folded, and one became an internet business. It is almost as if having a shop premise selling goods isn’t as profitable as selling goods on the intranet. Still, this kind of forward-thinking scheme won an award of some kind.

Some people would say that service industries are a better way to go to get empty shops filled, lower rates for all ‘ma and pa’ businesses would also help, and using empty shops for artwork displays, events, charity fundraisers and so on would stimulate high street growth. But Gerry knew best, and now, <sob> he’s gone.

Rumours of Independent, Labour, Conservative politicians joining 99% of the ACC staff in dancing on tables and celebrating with BrewDogs are unconfirmed. Adios Ger.

This week there are many interesting developments concerning freedom of the press: i.e. – there might not be much of it going forward. Here are a few definitions to try and make sense of what happened to the media, and what might happen.

Monopoly: (Eng. noun) – situation in which one person or company owns all or nearly all of a given resource or market sector putting them in a completely dominant position.

Aside from Private Eye magazine and a few quirky politicians, the UK government bent over backward to allow Rupert Murdoch to get as near a monopoly over the UK’s media, print and broadcast as was possible. Quite right too. It was June 2010, Rupe had the Sun, the Times, and he wanted BSB too.

What could possibly be wrong with one person controlling the majority of the media? Why nothing. As one professor put it:-

“It is vital to guard against just having a knee-jerk, ideological objection to Mr Murdoch – his companies produce an exceptionally large amount of very high quality content” – Tim Luckhurst, Professor of journalism at the University of Kent
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10317856

I guess I should define ‘high quality content’ sometime.

Murdoch’s empire dwarfed the BBC, and outbid them on major sports programmes which Rupert then put on satellite television, where everyone could watch for a small fee. Or for a giant fee if you wanted to play a game in your pub or bar. Everyone was happy. Well, Rupert was.

The funny thing about having a monopoly and being allowed by government and the police to do whatever you want is that you might start thinking you can do whatever you want. With the government giving Murdoch the green light for media dominance, and a few scattered police men and women having cosy meetings with News Corporation operative, things started getting a wee bit dodgy.

The Sun started to get a little adventurous and creative when landing important stories. Its intrepid investigative reporters devoted their time to finding sex scandals, up skirt shots, hiring private detectives to do a spot of wire-tapping, and paying the paparazzi to take all-important intrusive photos of celebrities and their children.

I’m sure those involved in these activities were free to pursue any journalistic directions they wanted, free from any controlling editors or a right-wing proprietor. Ah, the golden days of press. Or was that yellow journalism.

Whatever it was, we bought it. Profits weren’t that great on the print side, but this was offset by the satellite arm of the empire. And so it went. Perhaps the print media also made one or two subtle political hints echoing whichever politician Murdoch favoured. If so, it was far too subtle for Old Susannah to pick up on.

Leveson Inquiry: (Compound proper English noun). An inquiry into a variety of press scandals, leading to recommendations for press regulation.

Believe it or not, over the years, there have been one or two scandals in British establishments. In fact there were one or two minor issues in the banking sector not all that long ago. These resulted in economic meltdown, loss of the UK’s AAA rating, and austerity measures (unless you worked for a bank or were in government of course).

The government acted swiftly to give the banks a stern talking to, and a few billion pounds to tide them over. Then followed one or two other minor scandals involving sub-prime mortgages and manipulation of the LIBOR rates.

These were swiftly followed by more slaps on bankers’ wrists, and lots more subsidies. That showed them. Some people point to close links between the ConDems and banking executives, but I’m sure our elected officials would never allow favouritism to cloud their judgment.

Banks weren’t alone in behaving badly for profit. Newspapers have been involved in one or two unsavoury activities recently, too. Don’t worry though, the police were on the case. Or should I say the police were on the take.

Police officials and hacks met for expensive meals in nice London restaurants Blind eyes were turned; Police and MoD officials pocketed cash from the Sun, and police detectives helped the papers with stories in exchange for money. All the while paparazzi photographers took long-lens shots at celebrities and children of same, to go with stories often obtained illegally.

News was getting replaced by celebrity gossip trash. The public protested by buying more and more copies of ‘OK!’ ‘Hello!’ ‘I Have No Life Of My Own!’ and so on.

Things went too far; even the police and government couldn’t continue to pretend they weren’t in bed with the tabloids.

You would think that the existing laws could have been enforced at the time

Something must be done, or something had to be seen to be done. It was time for another long, expensive inquiry. No doubt there would be some outcomes from Leveson criticising how the police were both complicit and enabling to all this phone tapping and story selling.

You could be forgiven for thinking the way forward would be to ensure that paparazzi and reporters are stopped from illegal intrusions and entrapment, and are ordered to respect privacy, especially the privacy of innocent people and children. You would be wrong.

You would think that the existing laws could have been enforced at the time by a switched-on, honest police force. But think again.

For the bankers, stern words and subsidies were the answer. After all, they’ve only cost the taxpayer a few billion in bail-outs. For the fifth estate, which is historically meant to be a check on politicians, the remedy is different.

Instead of enforcing the laws we already have, the politicians have a great idea: the press will be held accountable to politicians. No one is accountable for allowing the monopoly to be created, no code of conduct will be created for the police to ensure they obey and enforce laws, and stop taking hospitality from the press.

No, the entire media sector is solely at fault, not just the tabloids. Or so they would have you think, and that’s good enough for me.

Of course the details of how regulation will work are sketchy; there are more questions than answers concerning proposed press regulatory bodies and mandatory sign-up to a government code on the press.

There goes some 400 years of freedom, just to punish the antics of the monopoly press which got away with Murdoch for years. It’s almost as if government wanted to get control over the entire media sector, and weren’t happy with its history of exposing crooked politicians, out-of-control MOD budgets, NHS management failures, sexed-up dossiers getting us into the Iraq war, and so on.

I for one will find the new government-controlled news much easier to digest

What will this mean to bloggers, small publishers, satire writers? Possibly ‘exemplary’ fines, lawsuits galore, and lots of rich lawyers. We just don’t’ know yet. What will this mean to investigative journalism?

For years we’ve been fed a populist diet of magazines filled with celebrities who are considered too fat one day and too thin the next. There are shots of stars who get drunk, who have ‘wardrobe malfunctions’ who go out with other stars and then break up. It’s just as well we’ve taken these important issues to heart – going forward this might be the only kind of news we get.

I for one will find the new government-controlled news much easier to digest. From now on instead of investigating council waste, issues at the Menie Estate and abuses of office, I can start writing about who’s wearing what, what new beauty queens have been crowned, and how thin or fat they are.

Still, there is one ground-breaking development Old Susannah is happy to share…

Augmented Reality: (modern compound noun)

New technology coming soon to an Aberdeen Journal publication near you!

There I was, wondering about the future of newspapers. And then I saw this:-

“Make your Evening Express come to life

“App lets readers see videos and images

“Published: 06/03/2013

“Bookmark with:

“Share on linkedin Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on email Share on gmail Share on stumbleupon Share on favorites More Sharing Services

“THE Evening Express today unveiled a revolutionary new way of allowing our readers to interact with the paper.

“Video and 3D images can pop up from the printed page thanks to the innovative new scheme.

“Dubbed augmented reality (AR), the application involves the reader holding their phone over a “trigger” advert, resulting in a series of 3D images and videos displayed through the user’s phone.”

Can we really use our phones to augment my reality? Yes we can! I can see it now: 3D Stewart Milne homes, 3D views of Trump golf courses. Then again, the photos of the Trump course in the recent P&J Golf Supplement look just a bit greener and neater than any photos I’ve managed to take to date. Could someone be augmenting the reality of the greens?

Maybe we could have augmented reality photos of our councillors as well. They say this technology can make people seem life-like. For some of our elected reps, this will be quite an improvement.

Time to go find a copy of ‘OK!’ and see what’s going on in the world. If I’m not thrown in jail, we’ll see what’s up next week.

PS – For some odd reason Labour are not happy with P&J coverage of a recent event.

This is very surprising. Most of us aren’t happy with their coverage of any events. While they rammed a granite web down our throats and perpetuated the myth it was cost-free, they accidentally forgot to mention Trump’s VP marrying their editor and skirted the slight bias this might mean.

They seem to have implied a man up in court for drug-dealing was a Labour member/activist; he wasn’t.

The P&J printed the full-page Trump anti-wind farm ad referring to Lockerbie, but refused to take an ad, pre-referendum, from the Friends of Union Terrace Gardens for being ‘too political’. Its sister paper called those who voted against Trump ‘neeps’ and ‘traitors’.

It said that two deer had died in advance of the Tullos Hill deer slaughter (the deer died two full years earlier, of unknown causes – as wild animals are known to do on occasion). Other than that, what’s not to like?

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A’bund’ance Of Trouble: Trump Plans Changed & Rushed?

Aberdeenshire, Featured, Information 12 Responses »

Mar 212013

By Suzanne Kelly.

An eight-month old application for retrospective permission at Trump Golf Links International at Menie has suddenly been altered with no warning or publicity.

A new document was added earlier this week to the retrospective App 2012/2342, and after eight months of relative inaction, the application which would allow the bunds to stay put is now going to be decided by the relevant councillors: on Tuesday 26 March.

The very short lead time – less than a week – between the changes to the application made on the Council’s web page means little chance for meaningful consideration – and the people who made representations have not heard anything about the changes or the upcoming meeting.

These developments may well be against protocol.

How this happened, who was involved, and the legalities of the situation are being questioned by residents and campaigners. Arguably, the application if changed should be re-submitted, allowing people the chance to respond to the new document, and those who made a representation should have been informed of the changes and the meeting.

These bunds – which seem to serve no purpose but to make life difficult for those living close to them – should just be taken down as originally promised.

They block light, they block views, and crucially the wind has blown earth off of them into the Munro home, at times leaving an inch of sand and dirt inside the front door, and damaged her cars, with sand and dirt getting into the machinery. The bunds have arguably devalued the Munro property.

Aberdeenshire Council’s Planning Department, already one of the targets for a requested independent inquiry (15,000+ people have signed a petition so far), had previously given assurances that the bunds (steep, high mounds of earth) built around residents’ homes were temporary. This assurance was repeated in an email from now-retired Aberdeenshire officer, Gordon Lyon in May 2012.

So far, the Trump Golf Links International Scotland operators have deviated from approved planning permission with the bunds, parking lot, and other issues: all of these deviations received retrospective planning permission.
See: Menie Estate Report by Suzanne Kelly

Why the developer is going against the approved plans without any challenge by Aberdeenshire Planning officials, is unclear.

Planning were supposed to visit the site frequently to prevent issues such as deviations arising.

The Government Report on the development recommended the developer would be expected to stay to the approved plan, and that monitoring would take place for planning and environment compliance.

This hardly seems to be the case with the bunds, parking and other deviations, and MEMAG, the environmental monitoring group is not meeting (last posted meeting minutes are for June 2012) and not answering correspondence (no questions answered from a 26 January email to date).

A resident, who discovered the changes on Aberdeenshire’s planning website this week, made the following observations:-

“As well as an amended drawing of the small bund (and change of title so that it no longer mentions Leyton Cottage), there is now a completely new drawing called ‘LANDSCAPE PROPOSALS – AS BUILT EARTH BUND ADJACENT TO DRIVING RANGE’ which details the ‘big bund’ immediately south of Leyton Cottage and adjacent to the Access Road.

“As far as I know there has been no public notification of this expansion of scope. And there appears to have been no notification to the people who had previously submitted objections to the original content of this application (the author of these comments received no notification himself).

“The ‘Expiry Date for Public Comment’ is still shown as 16/08/2012- and ‘The time period for submitting comment has expired’.

“When the bunds first appeared back in October 2010, the Council’s enforcement officer at the time, Gerry Main, wrote: ‘The mound of sand to the south of Leyton Cottage is of a temporary nature and will be utilised.’

“Furthermore, the APP-2012-2342 web page now shows a ‘Committee Date’ of 26/03/2013 (next Tuesday) when the application will come before the Formartine Area Committee. ( See: http://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/committees )

“As is normal practice, the planners have prepared a report to the Area Committee. It was posted there sometime in the past 24 hours (it wasn’t there yesterday morning). The report recommends that permission is granted, subject to removal of the trees planted on top of the small bund.

“Strangely, the report states in para 6.7 that ‘With reference to comments made through representation that have not been taken into account in the above assessment, this application is solely for the car park area and not for the landscaping for the access way’. This needs clarifying as it is inconsistent with the fact that the ‘big bund’ drawing has been published on the planning page, which the report appears to overlook completely.

“Also the ‘Additional Document 1’ presented to the committee is drawing no 71236/8007 Issue D and includes contour detail of the lower section of the ‘big bund’, whereas the version of this same drawing on the planning page (as of last night) was only at Issue B and had no detail of the big bund.

The writer of these comments feels that:-

“this looks suspiciously like TIGLS and the planners attempting to sneak through retrospective planning consent for the highly controversial and unauthorised ‘big bund’ hoping that no-one will notice, and without allowing public comment”

The following questions have been asked of Anne Ramsay of Planning:-

1. Have new documents been added to this application as it appears? IF SO:

2. Who agreed to add these documents?

3. How has this information been conveyed to interested parties and those who sent in representations?

4. Who made the decision not to throw this amended application out and start with a new application reflecting the changes?

5. Is Aberdeenshire Planning confident it is proceeding in a legally-acceptable, transparent manner in this instance?

6. Why, after an 8 month wait, is a newly amended application to be determined with under a week for council members and stakeholders to digest?

7. In due course, please send a response to the resident’s concerns listed above.

If the answer to Question 1 is negative, then:-

a. Please explain the appearance of new documents on the application?

b. Have stakeholders/those making representations been advised the matter will be discussed this Tuesday?

The response received will be printed as soon as can be arranged.

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Menie Estate: Time To Help

Aberdeenshire, Featured, Information 2 Responses »

Mar 212013

Following publication of an in-depth report into many failings and misuse of powers at the Menie Estate, Suzanne Kelly responds to those who have been asking what they can do to help.

What chance have we got to right things at the Menie Estate for the residents, visitors and wildlife?

People have been asking by email and Facebook what they can do to help the situation at Menie in some way.

It seems daunting if not impossible: Scotland’s First Minister, the local press, a majority of Aberdeenshire politicians, Grampian Police, VisitScotland and Scottish Enterprise all lent their assistance to a billionaire international real estate developer.

What chance does the average person in the street, unhappy at what is going on, have to change things?

More than you might think is the answer.

The report I wrote was never meant to be an end in itself; it is a tool which I hope people will use to complain and campaign. Trump might (or might not) be a billionaire with great connections, but there are thousands in Scotland and thousands more around the world who are watching what is going on, thanks largely to Anthony Baxter’s documentary, ‘you’ve been trumped.’

First, there is the question of ‘why bother to fight’.

Some people can’t see why I’m investing my time and energies into what is happening at Menie; for me I don’t really see any alternative but to do so.

This is a pivotal point in so many ways – in terms of what environmental protection means, in terms of how the police enforce or don’t enforce the law, how our politicians carry out their duties (are they more interested in the needs of businessmen or those who elected them). The environmental issues are very important, but the human aspect of what is going on is paramount.

Molly Forbes, Michael Forbes, Susan Munro, David Milne, Rob Menlove and their families – we can’t let people be shunted aside and abused, their rights and legal protection eroded.

Many of us are concerned with human rights abroad. We can’t ignore them being eroded our own doorstep. These issues have been allowed to go unchecked in our local print media; and this has contributed to the sense of invulnerability visible from security guard to politician.

It is time to go forward and protect the environment robustly, to ensure the rights of the residents and visitors are upheld, and to ensure nothing like this ever happens here again. Here are some simple things you can do to help.

1. Sign the 38 Degrees Petition started by David Milne

This petition requests a public inquiry into events concerning the golf development; it has been presented to Holyrood, and will at some point go before a petitions committee, and then (if there is any justice) before government. There are over 14,000 signatures – but the more the better. UK residents can sign; more information and a link to it can be found here: https://aberdeenvoice.com/2013/02/david-milne-launches-menie-estate-inquiry-petition/

2. Live in Scotland? Write to your Councillor

If you live in Aberdeenshire, you can find your local area councillors and their email addresses on this website: http://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/councillors/contact/index.asp . Explain that you want a public inquiry; send them a link to my report if you like, or tell them what particularly bothers you about what’s happening at Menie. Ask them how they voted. Tell them this issue will influence how you vote in future. Ask them to follow up with Aberdeenshire planning department, outdoor access officers, etc.

3. Write to MSPs, MPs or MEPs.

If you’re in Scotland, you can find out who your MSP is at this link: http://www.writetothem.com/ As above, tell them what you think, that you are concerned about EU Human rights, EU environmental protection, and whatever other aspects concern you.

4. ‘you’ve been trumped’

Anthony Baxter had to mortgage his home to make this documentary; he was thrown in jail while filming it along with his partner Richard Phinney. The ‘you’ve been trumped’ website has further information, including details of how to buy a copy of the DVD. http://www.youvebeentrumped.com/youvebeentrumped.com/THE_MOVIE.html

5. Other Actions

There is also a ‘Take Action’ section on the ‘you’ve been trumped’ site – it lets you know how to contact the police, the people in planning and the residents. Every postcard or email reminds the people in power that this issue is not going away; every contact with the residents lets them know they are not forgotten. Access this page here: http://www.youvebeentrumped.com/youvebeentrumped.com/TAKE_ACTION.html

6. Tripping Up Trump

Campaign group TUT has lots of information and initiatives. Their website can be found here: http://www.trippinguptrump.com/ There are back news items, links, and many resources. As their website says:-

“TUT is committed to supporting the rights of the families at Menie and will highlight and seek to stop any further bullying or other wrongs by the Trump Organisation in Scotland.”

Taking just 10 minutes out to find your elected representatives and writing to them can have more impact than you think. The more people that write, the more likely the politicians are to remember they rely on our votes. If you get any responses, please feel free to share them with Aberdeen Voice.

Just a final word: the residents have throughout their trials stayed within the law. They do not resort to vandalism or threats; they do not damage the environment, and they obey the Scottish Outdoor Access Code. Things can change for the better in this situation, and the more people who take action, the more certain positive change becomes.

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Menie Estate Report Published By Suzanne Kelly

Environment, Featured, News 6 Responses »

Mar 152013

Since Donald Trump first applied for planning permission to build ‘the world’s greatest golf course’ on the Menie Estate, regular Aberdeen Voice contributor Suzanne Kelly has followed events closely.

Today Ms Kelly publishes a report on the Menie Estate outlining eleven major areas of concern. In each of those areas, various incidents, documents and decisions are examined, and recommendations made.

The yola web page will also have relevant links to Tripping Up Trump, the documentary You’ve Been Trumped, a petition calling for an inquiry, and more.

Kelly says,

“Putting aside my own personal feelings for the ostentatious Donald Trump, I could not understand why the idea of overturning the SSSI protection afforded to the dune system at Menie to allow construction of a golf course and housing complex – particularly with the housing needed to fund the golf course – got the go-ahead. Like thousands of others, I wrote to Aberdeenshire Council to voice my objections.

“Learning that the course would go ahead was disappointing, but seeing how the environment, people and due processes were treated was staggering. I decided to collect together most of the worrying aspects of events at Menie with the goal of having relevant regulatory bodies, both public and private sector, investigate. What is going on here must not be allowed to set any precedents, and I believe some people and institutions should be called to account.

“It is wonderful that David Milne’s petition for an inquiry has over 14000 signatures to date. Milne and the petitioners are asking the Scottish Parliament, through the Public Petitions Committee, to hold a public inquiry into the way local government, Scottish Ministers and other relevant public bodies conducted themselves when considering the Menie project.

“The Trump camp continually asserts that this was the most scrutinised application in Scotland, but the reality of the situation is that a range of past and present actions have escaped any meaningful scrutiny whatsoever.”

The petition, at http://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/public-inquiry-into-handling-of-the-trump-resort is still gathering signatures.

“I believe that some QUANGOs, private entities, and environmental bodies must be called to account for their actions – or inactions – regarding this development. The Government, Aberdeenshire Council Planning, and Grampian Police in particular, feature prominently in my report.”

Kelly’s report will be sent to a range of stakeholders, regulatory bodies and to the national media in the coming days. Advance copies have been sent by request to researchers.

“I think it’s time to take off the rose-coloured glasses. Are we really getting thousands of jobs and great economic and social benefits out of this scheme? How much have we paid for policing the area so far? One cancelled Trump visit to our area alone cost the police around £2000.

“Let’s re-evaluate the optimistic projections on which this castle in the sand is being built. Trump is forever threatening to leave if we build wind farms. Perhaps our institutions should take a similarly-assertive position in forcing the Trump Organisation to stick to approved plans without deviation. I heartily welcome reactions from those institutions and individuals mentioned in my report.”

Kelly has previously submitted a series of articles for publication in Aberdeen Voice highlighting a range of aspects of Trump International’s operations at Menie, from the collapse of a culvert on the course to the marriage of Trump’s Vice-President Sarah Malone to Press & Journal editor, Damian Bates.

“The relationship between the pair just might explain the P&J’s stance on this development, which certainly has not harmed Sarah Malone’s position with Trump. This relationship, and any financial implications arising from it, might be a matter for Aberdeen Journals Ltd, if not the Press Complaints Commission, to investigate.

“I have met such wonderful people from visiting the estate and from attending screenings of You’ve Been Trumped, that I felt it necessary to try to help somehow. I just hope some good may come from my report.”

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Old Susannah No. 113 – Politics And Religion

Opinion, Satire and Humour 3 Responses »

Feb 282013

Voice’s Old Susannah takes a look over the past week’s events in the ‘Deen and beyond. By Suzanne Kelly.

Could spring be around the corner? The weather is improving, a ‘the green shoots of the economic recovery’ (as the Tories used to say) are nearly as vibrant and dynamic as the blue-green dyed grass on Trump International’s 4th hole. Old Susannah has been taking advantage of the warm weather, and had a few lovely coastal walks recently.

On the 16th I walked around the Menie coastline with a friend from Aberdeen Voice. The Trump international people have accidentally locked a few gates shut, almost as if to discourage walkers.
No doubt once this is brought to their attention, they’ll remedy the situation.

I guess this will have to wait until the Maloney-Baloney honeymoon is over. Which it will be soon enough.

Elsewhere further down the coast I had a pleasant jog/run around the Torry lighthouse and Nigg Bay. With the good weather lots of people were enjoying themselves on the coast and at Torrymelinos. How wonderful it will be when the industrial harbour extends itself into these SSSI areas filled with protected wildlife.

We here in the Radon City can be proud of one of our environmental records which no other Scottish city seems to be able to match these many years; more of our city streets show up in the lists of top ten most polluted Scottish streets than any other city can manage. Result!

According to the latest from Friends of the Earth, Wellington Road, Union Street and Market Street are highly placed for various forms of air pollution. Well done. http://www.foe-scotland.org.uk/news030213 .

As we know, that sort of environmental nonsense doesn’t count for much around here, especially if there are jobs to be created and money to theoretically be made (for a few anyway). We could have done even better if we’d have got rid of those old trees in Union Terrace Gardens and put up some concrete (sorry – granite).

Even further still down the coast, Old Susannah had another walk with a friend on Lunan Bay. It was ‘underused’. I’m sure it could be put to more practical use and made more crowded; perhaps a golf course and a few hundred homes would do the trick.

The area is rather spoilt at one end of the bay, as an old, boring red structure looms over the scene. It must have some health and safety issues, and probably should be torn down for a shopping mall. Apparently it is called the Red Castle, and in some boring old past time some guy named William the Conqueror built it (bad job, William, it’s falling down).

Then other guys named Robert the Bruce and William Wallace used it, too.

I’m sure people visiting Scotland aren’t interested in this kind of thing, and would rather shop and eat – let’s hope Visit Scotland and Scottish Enterprise can spend some of our tax money on a nice development study for Lunan, like they did for the Menie Estate.

Overall, things are just a bit confusing this past week in the Granite City, the McCote d’Azure (formerly known as Balmedie, now famous for its turquoise dyed grass), and the wider world. It’s hard to know where to begin with all the exciting developments. But I’ll make a start. Here are some definitions relevant to this week’s current events.

Inappropriate Behaviour: (mod Eng phrase) conduct which is beyond what is accepted in societal norms; often sexual, unbalanced and/or aggressive in nature.

They say you should never discuss religion and politics. At the moment, that philosophy would leave almost nothing to talk or write about.

We’ve had the shocking spectacle of people of the same sex in love wanting to get married. Thankfully, our most senior religious figures have been there to condemn this outrageous concept, leading by example. None other than the UK’s Cardinal Keith O’Brien was one such outspoken guardian of our morals. Well, until recently.

O’Brien was at first slightly tolerant of homosexuality; then he came out (as it were) against same-sex marriages. Now his behaviour is being called ‘inappropriate.’ O’Brien apparently had a more liberal outlook in his early days climbing the greasy pole of church hierarchy.

However, his views on same sex marriage included quotes such as:-

“The empirical evidence is clear, same-sex relationships are demonstrably harmful to the medical [yes, he really said that], emotional and spiritual wellbeing of those involved, no compassionate society should ever enact legislation to facilitate or promote such relationships, we have failed those who struggle with same-sex attraction and wider society by our actions;

and apparently,

“Down with this sort of thing;

and,

“Careful now.”

O’Brien is now resigning because of alleged ‘inappropriate behaviour’ towards other priests. If Old Susannah understands correctly, this means he can’t vote for the next pope, who is resigning immediately (from a scandal-riddled institution), possibly because of some kind of scandal about to break.

I’m not one to knock the churchgoing or bash the bishops, but I’m starting to get a sneaking suspicion that there may be some flaws in the very fibre of the church. Whether or not he went around saying ‘Drink! Feck! Arse! Girls! Boys!’ is yet to be confirmed or denied. But it looks as if someone is up for a de-frocking (in an appropriate way of course – I think the ‘inappropriate’ in the church will be told to ‘frock off.’).

Inappropriate behaviour in the religious spotlight at the moment also seems to include financial inconsistencies, which if a group of men take vows of poverty while living in palaces surrounded by art treasures and wealth could just be a problem. I’m sure any missing money was just resting in someone’s account.

Inappropriate behaviour, sex scandals, child abuse, ignored abuse, lying, financial inconsistencies… these are not just the domain of the religious; the LibDems seem to like a bit of it, too. I wonder if a nice cup of tea would help. G’wan.

Inquiry: (modern compound English noun) 1. to examine a situation and learn lessons to avoid a repetition; 2. to issue a big, baffling report at the end of a few months’ of expensive taxpayer-funded testimony which clears the government of wrongdoing.

Nearly as clearly as the above situation, we have the case of Lord Rennard, and what the LibDems knew, didn’t know or suspected. Nick Clegg gave one of his straightforward interviews to save the day and let everyone know where the LibDems stood.

From his statement we can determine that yes, Clegg knew of abuse rumours, but no he didn’t really know anything, but yes, the police are investigating, but no Clegg did not look into it when it arose, but yes, it was ‘all a long time ago’, but no Clegg and the LibDems ‘cannot provide a running commentary on every shred of speculation’.

And they say the guy is wishy-washy and prone to u-turns.

He told Sky News:

“I understand there are many people who appear to want to act as self-appointed detectives trying to piece together events that happened many years ago, but the only way that we are going to get to the bottom of the truth, the only way we are going to ensure that the women whose allegations were broadcast on television last week are properly listened to, the only way were are going to establish exactly what happened and who knew what and when, is by allowing the two investigations that I established immediately after the Channel 4 broadcast to do their job and, indeed, to allow the police, whom we have now approached, to do their job as well.

“And in the meantime I cannot and my party cannot provide a running commentary on every shred of speculation about events which happened many years ago.”

Clegg does in his words ‘want to get to the bottom’ of the truth. What he’ll do when he finally hits rock bottom is another matter. Better late than never, though.

Still, with two government inquiries announced, we’ll have the truth in no time, just like we did after government inquiries into the sexed-up dodgy dossier that got us into the Iraq war, the mysterious death of Dr Kelly, the petrol pricing inquiry, and so on.

But as Nick Clegg helpfully pointed out a few times to the press, the scandal and abuse was ‘all a long time ago,’ (so it can’t really matter).

You have to wonder why the victims of sexual abuse just don’t pop down to a friendly police station and report abuse. What could be less traumatic and simpler than finding a sympathetic, understanding government institution to get swift, fair justice?

Operation Sapphire: (modern English compound noun) a Police initiative in south London to address sexual crime.

Result! A South London police initiative to help victims of sexual crime! No doubt they would treat victims with great dignity, understanding and offer support.

Or, as came out in the news this week, they could just tell victims that the police wouldn’t be interested in getting any justice, and they should just forget it.

I guess they think this is a great way not only to keep the reported crime statistics low, but also to save taxpayer money on costly trials and even costlier jail sentences (not that many rapists get convicted anyway). That’s what they seemed to think anyway, as they helpfully, sympathetically told rape victims not to press charges. Brilliant.

“The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) said Southwark Sapphire unit in south London “encouraged” victims to withdraw allegations to boost detection rates.

“The Metropolitan Police said substantial changes had been made.”
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-21586786

It looks as if at least one accused rapist who was let off the hook went on to kill a couple of children per the above report. Well, stuff happens. It’s not as if there is any reason to think a violent sexual predator would pose a long-term threat, is there?

Let’s face it, being a police officer can be stressful. I hope these victims of violent crime can think about the effect their stories might have on the police before they go around upsetting them by making allegations.

Back in 2009, the UK had the worst rape conviction rate in Europe. It seems some people in power might want to keep it that way.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/

I hope these little definitions will help to give everyone the faith in our institutions that they deserve. As the ConDems will be the first to tell you, ‘we’re all in this together.’ Indeed we are.

Next week: a look at some great letters I’ve received from government branches, hopefully an update on the SNH’s plans to shoot 700 deer in Scotland out of season, and more definitions.

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David Milne Launches Menie Estate Inquiry Petition

Aberdeenshire, Featured, News 1 Response »

Feb 212013

David Milne, resident at Aberdeenshire’s coastal Menie Estate, launched a petition on 14 February 2013 which may yet lead to the local and national governments being scrutinised over their handling of planning permission granted to Trump International to build a complex on the estate. Suzanne Kelly reports.

Milne explained to Aberdeen Voice that he worked with the Public Petitions Committee for several months before the wording was agreed and accepted.

If four thousand people sign, then the petition will go before the relevant committee – and an inquiry could be launched.

Since its launch on Valentine’s Day, people have been signing rapidly. At the time of writing, the petition is less than 500 signatures short of its 4,000 target.

The more signatories, the more likely it is that the Committee will look into the manner in which planning permission was granted.

In an unprecedented move, central government called in Trump’s plans for scrutiny when the local authority turned them down.

Opponents to the scheme claim that the site is far too large (900 holiday homes, 2 golf courses, homes for over 400 staff, a hotel, etc.), that two SSSIs would be compromised, there would be a permanent, detrimental effects on wildlife, lack of road infrastructure, and other reasons made the development overly ambitious and not sympathetic to the site.

Proponents claim they are building the world’s greatest golf course. Part of the world’s greatest golf course spectacularly washed out to sea following January storms.

Residents have been subjected to intrusive private security operations, and have lived with the threat of compulsory purchases orders. Huge mounds of earth – bunds – have been built up on two sides of the Munro family’s property and part of the Milne property, blocking sunlight, coastal views, and causing dust and dirt problems.

Proponents say that the plans have been previously scrutinised. However, the role of local and national government has not been formally examined. Aberdeen Voice will shortly carry a report on potential areas for investigations covering both public and private sector issues.

The petition which can be found at http://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/public-inquiry-into-handling-of-the-trump-resort reads:-

“We are calling on the Scottish Parliament, through the Public Petitions Committee, to urge the Scottish Government to hold a public inquiry into the way local government, Scottish Ministers and other relevant public bodies conducted themselves throughout their dealings with the Trump Organisation in relation to the Menie project.

“Why is this important?

“Only a full public inquiry can now get to the bottom of this story. We need to know how local and central government dealt with the Trump Organisation, what was offered by whom and when, and we need to establish why planning guidelines and environmental regulations were simply unable to protect our community and the unique environment we live in. Finally, we need to know what changes can be made so the planning system again works like it is supposed to.”

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Menie Heroes And Villains: Part 2 – Villains

Aberdeenshire, Featured, Information 3 Responses »

Feb 112013

Having previously looked at the people who can be considered heroes for their attempts to protect the environment or people, the focus shifts to the ‘villains’ in this fifth article in the Menie Estate Series.

By Suzanne Kelly.

Identifying the players in the course of events at Menie is key to understand what happened, and hopefully to preventing a repeat performance elsewhere.
The cumulative effect of the various pro-Trump factions, large and small, all helped make the development’s approval all but inevitable.

This article will take stock of the people, organisations and incidents that won the day for golf over natural heritage, existing planning policy and area residents.

Donald Trump

Ultimate responsibility for the loss of the SSSI and for the use of security firms in the area surely belongs to the man called ‘The Donald.’ While involved in litigation in his home country, the USA, with private individuals and local governments, our powers-that-be still accepted his fiscal health, his stated commitment to the environment, and his economic proposals at face value.

To illustrate, here are excerpts from one of the Scottish Government’s statements supporting the development:-

“The council understand the suggestion made by the various parties that a personal condition may be appropriate… that is not proposed… Based on the evidence the council believes that the commitment shown by Mr Trump is genuine.” – http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/212607/0067709.pdf

Aberdeenshire Council decided that their ‘belief’ in Trump’s commitment was genuine and of more importance than existing planning guidance and the SSSI. This faith seems to have been built on the economic case presented by Trump (later criticised sharply by a London School of Economics expert, who featured in the documentary ‘You’ve Been Trumped’).

This faith also seems to have excluded any research into the Trump Organisation’s past form and apparent predilection for suing municipalities (for a summary of some rather worrying past Trump actions.
See donald-trumps-lawsuits-could-turn-conservatives-who-embrace-tort-reform

Scottish Natural Heritage suggested it would be possible to build great golf courses and housing without using the sensitive SSSI sites; however, Trump refused to compromise his plans. Trump is the driving force in this situation, but whom and which organisations paved the way for him? Are these people the real villains of the piece?

The mysterious Peter White – aka Neil Hobday

One thing the pre-Trump Menie residents I spoke to have in common is their shared love of the natural beauty in the area. None planned to move home; none planned to sell up to Trump. Every resident I spoke with his commitment to the integrity of the unique environment and its flora and fauna.

Another thing they have in common is that many of them reported being contacted by phone by one Mr Peter White.

The story ‘Peter’ told residents was basically this: ‘Peter’ and/or his wife just happened to be out driving/walking while visiting Balmedie, and fell in love with the area and wanted to buy a home to live in. Resident Martin Bennett decided to check out the phone number Mr White left, and found it was connected to the name ‘Hobday.’ ‘Peter’ it transpires was Neil Peter White Hobday – the man who at the time was Trump’s golf course consultant.

When confronted, Hobday told Bennett that Peter and White were his middle names, adding:-

“If I had turned up and said ‘hello I’m from the Trump Organisation’”

Neil Peter White Hobday said to Bennett, while making a gesture Bennett believed was indicating flashing pound signs.

Had any of the residents chosen to pass their homes to this man on the false promise their home would be used and loved instead of potentially bulldozed (Trump has called the properties ‘slums’ and ‘pigsties’), they would have been very much mistaken. But no one fell for this cruel ruse to gain property under a false pretext – which no doubt would have been sold at lower value than had any resident been aware of Trump’s plans. Monetary gain or not, the residents wanted to stay put.

The mysterious anti wind farm protest that never was

Last month, some person or agency tried to hire protestors (at $20 per person) to stand in front of the British Consulate in Manhattan, and standing behind a few speakers, as if to act like they were genuine protestors opposed to wind farms in the UK. When discovered by several pro wind farm groups, the ads were pulled, the media and consulate staff notified, and the protest was called off just as quickly and mysteriously as it had been organised (the excuse was the weather would be harsh).

Who would be interested in making the British fear a negative US reaction to wind farms in Britain? Could it have been Donald Trump or his organisation? Their objection to a wind farm off the Aberdeenshire coast has Trump threatening to pull his development.

More on this protest can be found here: cool-job-posting-earn-20-pretending-to-hate-wind-energy.

Some actually believe that Trump might just be, and might always have been, more interested in obtaining the permission for hundreds of homes, then selling the land (and the attached permission) on.

By this time politicians, consultants and anyone else who wanted a piece of the action were climbing on board the Trump bandwagon. Not least one Evening Express beauty contest winner

Sarah ‘The Face of Aberdeen’ Malone, now Mrs Damian Bates

Sarah entered and won a ‘Face of Aberdeen’ beauty contest in the Evening Express, sister paper to the Press & Journal, an equally pro-Trump periodical. It would seem that she had a friendship with the P&J’s editor, Damian Bates, which turned to marriage in early February 2013.

Sarah worked at the regional Gordon Highlanders museum in Aberdeen; a great museum but hardly a training ground for the project Trump proposed. She had no experience of Golf, no experience of multinational real estate developers.

She was hired by Trump who didn’t mind the lack of specific skills for his multi-million pound project. Was it her local connections? Her physical attractiveness? She has since acted as the spokesperson for Trump International in Scotland, maintaining that all is well, and that tens of thousands of people have played/will play the course.

Evidence the course has been played that frequently is not shared by the residents, who insist the course would have to have very frequent tee times and many more visible golfers than they have ever seen.

She claims to have been spat at by a woman; treatment no one deserves. The police investigated, but it seems no action was taken. Protest groups disowned any such action, which is contrary to the ethos of the protest group Tripping Up Trump.

Malone accused Anthony Baxter of sneaking into an on-site press event (he had been issued a press pass), and that he deliberately blocked heavy machinery, a claim he denied.

Both of Sarah’s parents had worked at Aberdeenshire council; her father, Tom, is now a councillor. Coincidentally he has had the opportunity to vote on six wind farm developments, and has turned them all down. It seems he shares his daughter’s employer’s dislike of wind power.

In Malone-Bates’ words:

“We have a world-class developer whose brand is associated with luxury and excellence.”

Some might differ.

Dr Christine Gore

Dr Gore is Director of Planning and Environmental Services at Aberdeenshire Council. Her impartiality was called into question when the Glasgow-based ‘ Spinwatch’ group did some research:-

“The documents, obtained by Spinwatch, include e-mails and letters between Gore and Ann Faulds, an Edinburgh-based solicitor with Dundas and Wilson, a law firm hired by Trump. They show that in February, Faulds drew up a report justifying why compulsory purchase orders might be needed to acquire extra land on and around Trump’s estate. It was drafted in Gore’s name for distribution to council members, however the local authority says it was never used.

“David Miller, professor of sociology at Strathclyde University and head of Spinwatch, a Glasgow-based body which monitors public relations, said the documents raised serious questions about the council’s relationship with Trump.”
http://www.trippinguptrump.com/news/aberdeenshire-council-%E2%80%98too-close%E2%80%99-to-trump

Dr Gore’s impartiality also took a further beating (source Tripping Up Trump):-

In Gore’s letter, dated April 7, she writes:

“In terms of public relations and management of the inevitable media interest, I would request that we be given at least a week’s notice of your intended submission date. Thereafter, close liaison will be required . . . in order that we can have a managed approach to what is inevitably going to be a difficult and emotive reaction.”

The letter has prompted accusations of a “conflict of interest” from Spinwatch. It has threatened to lodge a complaint with the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman if the council fails to carry out its own inquiry.

Even her words ‘difficult and emotive’ seem to display alliance with the developers over the existing homeowners. In propaganda terms, implying that the other side is in some way illogical – like stating they are likely to be ‘difficult and emotive’ is a well-known tactic to discredit opposition.

We have seen this kind of name-calling often enough from Trump and his operatives in describing the pre-existing residents; but for the implication of an difficult/emotional, hence irrational, response from those opposed to Trump pretty much removes any doubt as to Gore being partial to Trump.

Ms Gore’s professional body, the Royal Town Planning Institute refuse to disclose whether or not the proposed complaint against Gore was ever even brought. In that case, perhaps it is time a formal complaint is submitted.

Alex Salmond

Aside from transatlantic wining and dining with Trump while Trump’s application was still pending (which was deemed unethical – and which sent a tacit message that Salmond approved of Trump and his plans), it’s hard to know where to start on the role Salmond played.

Of course the step of calling in the rejected application was without precedent and is what gave Trump his victory. Salmond used his powers to over-ride the decision of a local government by calling the application in, something that might not bode well for his model of Scottish independence.

The local authorities still had scope to negotiate with Trump over the nature of the development; this scope was whisked away by Salmond.

Salmond seems to have wanted a quid pro quo, and what a favour it was. Trump was asked to back the Scottish Government’s repatriation of convicted Lockerbie Bomber Al-Megrahi on compassionate grounds. Trump probably realised this would be social suicide for him in New York (if not the rest of the world) and he refused.

Soon the relationship between the two men had soured over wind farms, and Trump went public with this sensational request over Al-Megrahi. Trump also insisted Salmond promised no wind farms would ruin the view of the wealthy golf tourist. Salmond denied making any such promise.

This dispute between the two figures is creating some amazing publicity, not least the advertisement Trump put in the Press & Journal (and other papers), showing decommissioned wind turbines (from Hawaii it seems) and linking in Salmond and Lockerbie. (more on the ad and the P&J to follow).

In a worrying development Salmond’s government is changing many pieces of legislation, not least the rules around Compulsory Purchase Orders. In another time, a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) was basically meant as a last resort if land was needed for municipal projects. This is changing.

The Scottish Government co-hosted a full day CPO conference in October 25, 2011 in Edinburgh. There were presentations which certainly seem to make it easier to obtain CPOs in Scotland for developments which promise economic growth. Presentations included:-

Joe Noble, Macdonald Estates ” CPO in partnership with the private sector – a developer’s view” (3.2mb)

Patrick Layden QC, Scottish Law Commission ” Law reform – a look to the future” (0.05mb)

We will see what else Mr Salmond has in store for Menie and for Scotland in the future.

Aberdeenshire Council Clerk of Works and Communications Officer

In August of 2011 I wrote to the Aberdeenshire Council’s Clerk of Works asking about several of the issues highlighted in the national press and in the film ‘You’ve Been Trumped.’ I described the bunding by the Munro home.

I received a reply from (now retired) Communications Officer Gordon Lyon. He advised that the

“…earth bunding we believe you are referring to was fully removed by April 5, 2011”.

The Munros, other residents and I all can state that the bunding is very much still in place. In fact, where bunding exists there are fairly clumsy attempts to make trees grow on top of them. If successful, this would leave both homes with little sun and no views of the shore at all.

It is not that likely the trees will grow (the sand, salt air and wind will play their parts, much as they are doing further down the coast at St Fitticks’s and Tullos Hill, an ill-advised, largely unwanted forestry creation scheme which has already failed before). The interesting choice of Sycamore trees for this man-made screen should interest natural heritage and ecological agencies; this tree is considered undesirable for being invasive and foreign.

Scottish Enterprise and Visit Scotland

On 27 September 2007 I attended a public meeting at which the Trump organisation played a video in support of their application. This video featured the Scottish Enterprise logo, and featured footage of Jennifer Craw talking about tourism, development and so on. She had been head of Scottish Enterprise at one point.

On seeing this video, the use of the logo convinced me that Scottish Enterprise approved of the project, a project which was still as I understood it, meant to be impartially evaluated by government. The use of the logos and Craw’s presence made it appear as if SE approved of the plans.

If government quango SE approved, then so must government was the conclusion I reached. The SE connection could have put pressure on councillors, government employees and others who saw it, and could have easily led to the conclusion that SE approved. But was this conclusion accurate?

I wrote to SE, and they stated that the Trump video had NOT sought their consent to use the clips of Craw or the logo. Here are answers I received from Scottish Enterprise:-

“Neither SE, nor Ms Craw, has endorsed the Trump planning application. SE Grampian is supportive of the proposals but they have no role or remit in terms of the planning decision.

“Ms Craw gave an interview to STV in relation to a documentary on the Trump International plans for a golf leisure development on 26 June 2006. Ms Craw was not made aware that the clip would be used as part of the Trump presentation at the public meeting.

“SE has not endorsed the planning application. Any endorsement by Scottish Enterprise would not bind the Scottish Government.

“Donald Trump’s organisation has not received any funding from SE Grampian. A Preliminary Feasibility study along with a promotional DVD in relation to the Menie Estate Golf Resort was commissioned by SE Grampian in line with support for inward investment activity. The cost of this was £30,285.

“SE Grampian PR support around the project announcement was given to the Trump Organisation in keeping with support offered to potential inward investors. Please note there is no monetary value placed on staff time spent on projects.

It would appear that SE want us to believe that even though it spent £30k on a video to promote turning Menie into a golf resort, Scottish Enterprise was somehow totally uninterested in influencing the government on the point.

At the next opportunity I tried to speak out at a public meeting to say this video was giving a large and serious false impression by using SE material. I was, disappointingly, not allowed to speak. I did explain that new, relevant information had come to my attention, and that as I had been a long-term objector to the scheme I wanted to exercise the right to address the meeting. This was deemed to be out of order.

SE’s logo seems to be protected by copyright, and from what I can gather, it can be used in academic papers without any objection but other use needs permission. Why no objection was raised to the Trump people, or more importantly why SE did not make clear to Aberdeenshire that it did not endorse the project and that its logo had been appropriated without consent remains a mystery.

We have a situation where one side was allowed to go against established procedures and hijack the implied approval of Scottish Enterprise, while the other side of the argument was not allowed any leeway at all.

The local Press

The Scottish Enterprise episode was just one of many pieces of publicity and propaganda designed to put the Trump golf project on course. The local newspapers were filled with pro Trump stories. No mention was ever made of his stateside business dealings, some of which seem to have ended in bankruptcies for stakeholders.

No mention was ever made of lawsuits brought by the Trump organisation against local authorities. The councillors who stood up to Trump were vilified in the local papers, culminating in a photo of Martin Ford with the word ‘TRAITOR’ as the headline.

Other evidence of the local media’s bias is not too hard to find. There have been many articles saying what a success the club is, and a total of two (as far as I can find) articles about Anthony Baxter’s documentary on the Menie Estate situation.

In terms of advertising, it may interest readers to know that the Friends of Union Terrace Gardens were refused permission to place an ad in the Press & Journal – well before any referendum on UTG was announced – on the grounds their support for the gardens being improved was ‘political’.

Fast forward to September 2012, and the same paper printed the full page anti-wind farm advertisement from Trump. This ad used photos of American decommissioned wind farms, and a photo of Salmond; it also chose to bring the Lockerbie Bomber into the picture. Some would say that on balance this might have been slightly more political than saving a garden.

For more on the tie between Malone and her new husband, P&J editor Damian Bates, (and other individuals) see https://aberdeenvoice.com/2013/02/trump-exec-vp-weds-journals-ed-joining-the-dots/

There are other players who strove for the outcome we have today.

This series will have two more parts; a look at some of the government documents supporting the case, and a conclusion with a report and recommended actions. One thing is clear. All in all, it was clear the residents and the environment never stood any chance at all.

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Trump Vice President Weds Journals Ed – Joining The Dots

Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Featured, News 44 Responses »

Feb 052013

In her series of articles on The Menie Estate and Donald Trump’s planned resort. Suzanne Kelly has documented part of the course being eroded by the North Sea. She has documented the draconian security activities on the site, and the construction of huge earth bunds blocking existing residents’ access to sea views and sunlight. She has also documented deteriorating road surfaces. Further articles will focus on key players in the Menie story, but a recent development has led her to write this supplementary article for Aberdeen Voice.

A wedding was solemnised this past weekend: Miss Sarah Malone married Mr Damian Bates. There are a few points which make this wedding of interest and importance to a wider circle than their family and friends.
Ms Malone was selected in the Evening Express’s beauty contest as the ‘face of Aberdeen’. That was in 2007. Mr Bates was editing the paper from 2006, having started there in 2003; he is now the editor of sister paper, The Press & Journal.

Ms Malone was plucked from the relative obscurity of the Gordon Highlanders’ museum by Donald Trump to serve as a Vice-President for his controversial golf development on Aberdeen’s coastal Menie Estate. She has no previous experience of real estate developments, or of golf.

It’s wonderful when two people meet and fall in love.

It is not quite so wonderful when there seems to be a whiff of bias in favour of an editor’s wife’s business interests.

For those who don’t know, the DC Thomson papers in Aberdeen, the Evening Express and the Press and Journal have given a huge amount of positive press to Donald Trump and the real estate development of which Sarah is in charge. When Trump or relatives flew in or out of Aberdeen, front pages were decked with positive stories and large photos. The paper has supported the development from the start.

In doing so, it printed not only positive, glowing Trump articles. It also vilified Aberdeenshire councillors who voted against the scheme, which went against existing planning guidelines and meant the destruction of a Site of Special Scientific Interest, the highest kind of environmental protection there is. Andy Wightman puts it best in his excellent report:-

“Perhaps the most notorious example of this was following the planning decision on 29 November 2009 to reject the planning application. The Evening Express published the pictures of all seven councillors who had voted against the application under the headline ‘You traitors’.

“The paper’s editorial, ‘Betrayed by stupidity of seven’, described the councillors as ‘small-minded numpties’, ‘misfits’, ‘buffoons in woolly jumpers’, ‘traitors to the North-east’ and ‘no-hopers’. …Furthermore, Aberdeen Journals have taken a conscious editorial decision to exclude critical voices from being heard in the Press and Journal and Evening Express.

“On 12 December 2009, the Press and Journal ran what it called an ‘Exclusive Report’ which alleged that the main critics of the development, a pressure group called Tripping Up Trump (TUT), consisted of many people with ‘tenuous or no connections with the Aberdeenshire coastline they claim to want to protect.’ Martin Glegg, one of the TUT campaigners, was alleged to be co-ordinating the campaign from Glasgow. And, in a bizarre interpretation of what makes a news story, the paper revealed that TUT’s legal adviser was based in Paisley. [Note – Trump’s lawyers are in Edinburgh, but that was not deemed newsworthy]

“The Press and Journal editorial then went on to make the remarkable announcement that it would no longer be reporting what TUT might care to say.”
http://www.andywightman.com/docs/trumpreport_v1a.pdf

Wightman’s report also covers the planning aspects, boundary disputes and how the residents were treated; it makes for excellent factual reading.

For reasons of journalistic integrity, some might find this pro-Trump editorial policy a touch unseemly.

There are some basic, albeit not legally binding principles of journalism which include accuracy, objectivity, truthfulness and the like. Can you be objective where your wife is concerned?

If a newspaper editor had been someone’s partner for months, perhaps years, and intended to form a marriage with their partner, would any financial gain their betrothed stood to make, such as having a highly-paid job on a multi-million pound project, also in effect be to the editor’s financial gain?

Bates, it should be added, is on the Press Complaints Commission’s Editors’ Code of Practice Committee.

Sarah and Damian Bates might have tied the knot legally, but many of the other players on the board are also interrelated. Here is a brief listing of how some of the players are coincidentally linked together.

Sarah Malone Bates – married Press & Journal editor Damian Bates February 2013

“[Resident David] Milne’s allegations of harassment are baseless and untrue … His views are not representative of the ‘community’ … The course opened this summer with phenomenal success and glowing international reviews. It has enhanced the area and the environment immeasurably, and brought thousands of visitors from around the world to the north-east.”
http://local.stv.tv/aberdeen/news/196354-trump-opponent-pressing-for-fresh-inquiry-into-golf-course-handling/

Donald Trump: “Sarah, I want to get rid of that house [David Milne’s home].”
Malone Bates replies: “It’s going to create a bit of a stir but if we’re up for it let’s do it.”
http://www.andywightman.com/docs/trumpreport_v1a.pdf

face of Aberdeen for Evening Express beauty contest;
rumoured to be dating Damian Bates, formerly of Evening Express, now Press & Journal editor;
recruited from her job at Gordon Highlanders’ museum to be a Vice-President for Trump despite having no knowledge of golf;
was on a panel for Visit Scotland, a quango, and partner of Scottish Enterprise.

Damian Bates – married Trump Int, Golf Links’ Executive Vice President Sarah Malone in February 2013

“This newspaper has given a voice to all those who have wished to become involved in the debate about Donald Trump’s plans. That courtesy was extended to Tripping Up Trump in the belief that it was a bona fide group of local environmentalists. Today, it has been withdrawn.” – Press and Journal 12 December 2009

“Newspapers like the Press and Journal….provide one of the few platforms for the little man to take on the big institutions”
http://www.kaimhill.net/?p=2729

Editor Press & Journal, formerly Evening Express editor;
his papers published only two articles on ‘You’ve Been Trumped’, both after the BBC screening, but nothing when it was first shown in Aberdeen nor when it won awards around the world;
the first of these articles, by David Ewen said that Anthony Baxter was not available for comment, when in fact he had spoken to the author on the same day the article came out. No subsequent correction was made in later editions;
the Press & Journal accepted a controversial full-page ad from Trump linking Salmond, windfarms, and Salmond’s attempt at recruiting Trump to support the release of convicted Lockerbie bomber, Al-Megrahi. Yet it rejected advertising, before any referendum was announced, by local group ‘Friends of Union Terrace Gardens’, for being ‘too political’;
David Ewen, who had reported that Baxter was not available for comment in his first article on the subject, has authored a book with a foreword by Trump. Entitled ‘Chasing Paradise: Donald Trump and the Battle for the World’s Greatest Golf Course’, the book was available for sale in the Press & Journal shops and advertised in the paper;

Donald Trump

“I do play with the bankruptcy laws — they’re very good for me” http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2011/04/24/the-trump-backlash.html

real estate developer with a past history including controversial developments,incomplete developments, litigation, and bankruptcy;
purchaser of Menie estate and developer of Trump International courses at Menie;
former alliance with Alex Salmond while the project was still in planning;
awarded an honorary degree from RobertGordonUniversity, amidst a high private security presence. RGU has Sir Ian Wood as its Chancellor.

Sir Ian Wood

“We are very pleased to honour you today in recognition of the significant contribution the Scottish Trump International golf resort will make to diversify the economy of the North East of Scotland.”
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-11493040

chancellor of RobertGordonUniversity, which saw fit to give Trump an honorary degree;
Former Chairman of Scottish Enterprise, board member of Scottish Enterprise;
Wood added Jennifer Craw, formerly of Scottish Enterprise, to the Wood Family Trust. Craw appeared in the Trump Organisation’s pro-development film in her Scottish Enterprise role, which also used the SE logo. SE never gave permission for this implied support for Trump and yet no formal complaint of this misuse seems to have been made. There will be more on this in a subsequent article.

Alex Salmond:

“I believe that the economic and social benefits for the North-east of Scotland substantially outweigh any environmental impact”
http://www.eveningexpress.co.uk/Article.aspx/919658

His government took the unprecedented step of calling in the Trump planning application;
Met with Trump representatives just before it was announced Scottish Government would have the final say on the billionaire’s plans for a golf resort;
Controversially wined and dined Trump on both sides of the Atlantic while the course controversy raged;
Asked Trump to back his government’s stance on Lockerbie bomber Al-Megrahi’s release;
Has a close relationship with Sir Ian Wood, rector of RobertGordonUniversity, and ex-Scottish Enterprise.

Image Credits:

The Ring © Andrei Mihalcea | Dreamstime.com
Marriage For Money © Vangelis | Dreamstime.com
A Pair Of Padlocks © Ragne Kabanova | Dreamstime.com

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