• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Scottish Government To Overturn Decision to Save SSSI (1 Viewer)

I got a lift with a taxi driver who was in favour of the development. But that was a taxi driver ;). Also, the local music forum I look at sometimes has some people in favour, although they seem to be very much in the minority on there. That's about it though. Nobody I know on a daily basis seems to have any enthusiasm for it at all.
 
Today, I finally got round to writing letters to John Swinney, my constituency MSP and all 7 of my regional MSPs. At least it makes me feel better even if it makes no difference.

Does anyone know how I can find out how individual councillors voted in the recent meeting of the full council. I want to write to them too, particularly any of the cowards who abstained!
 
Hi Folks,

Just to let you know the Scottish Parliament are human beings. I don't know how to put that but as well as signing the petition I sent a strongly worded email to the Scottish Executive and was suprised and pleased to get a reply today. Just the normal typed response but it was addressed to me personally and said I would be kept informed of developments.

As you may know the application is before the Scottish Government for decision and the letter said they would keep me informed. I know it is a standard letter but as Mr Kennedy the ex Liberal leader said on tv a couple of weeks ago, if people write emails they feel strongly about something so he takes the time to read them and reply where he can. Coincidence many of you will know he is Scottish by birth.

At least they are taking a second more detailed look, let's hope they make the right decision. The Scottish Parliament do seem more concerned about the environment than the English one, they appreciate that tourists go for the magnificent scenery and want to be out their enjoying it not staying in a hotel complex with all facilities on tap.

Keep writing.

Ann :egghead:
 
Petition signed which is the least I can do to support the effort and endeavour shown by the passionate and caring posters here. Please keep us updated and good luck.
 
A CHAPLIN said:
Hi Folks,



At least they are taking a second more detailed look, let's hope they make the right decision. The Scottish Parliament do seem more concerned about the environment than the English one, they appreciate that tourists go for the magnificent scenery and want to be out their enjoying it not staying in a hotel complex with all facilities on tap.


Ann :egghead:
Click to expand...

Ann -I fear your analysis is wrong & your faith misplaced.
Seems to me Salmond is intent on reversing the local decision, overiding the local planning laws & SSSI designation & allowing the project to go ahead.
The tourists they want aren't the budget few in boots & kagools with bins & backpacks. They want the many rich American golfers who will jet in and pay top dollar to play & stay at this luxurious resort-much greater kudos for the SNP than a few outdoor types wandering over the dunes.

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/article3255607.ece

But I hope I'm wrong & you are right!
Colin
 
Tyke said:
Ann -I fear your analysis is wrong & your faith misplaced.
Seems to me Salmond is intent on reversing the local decision, overiding the local planning laws & SSSI designation & allowing the project to go ahead.
The tourists they want aren't the budget few in boots & kagools with bins & backpacks. They want the many rich American golfers who will jet in and pay top dollar to play & stay at this luxurious resort-much greater kudos for the SNP than a few outdoor types wandering over the dunes.

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/article3255607.ece

But I hope I'm wrong & you are right!
Colin
Click to expand...

I think it does look like Salmond wants the golf course, but he has handled the situation carelessly, by allowing himself to be accused of 'sleaze'. I'm not sure that he has technically done anything wrong, but it will now be difficult for the government to make a decision without a public inquiry. Which is a good thing, I think.
 
Hi Colin,

You know I am usually the biggest cynic around, I just hope that when they have another look somebody finds something not seen before that stops the development, somebody wakes up and sees sense, sorry I don't know how else to put that. Find something rare there, if you want any great crested newts I believe I live in a hot spot for them, I will smuggle some over the border.

The more enquiries there are the better to slow the development down at least I hope so.

Ann :egghead:
 
More news from Sunday:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/north_east/7146632.stm


and....Trump throws more of his toys out of the pram:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/north_east/7147714.stm

I think that both Aberdeenshire Council and the Scottish government have failed the people of North East Scotland. Those in favour of the development have been let down by the ineptness, and inpropriety of the First Minister and the Nationalist government in their pandering to Big Business. Those against the project have been let down by the local council's bending of the rules and own blatant blinkering concerning their own planning procedures and policy....in order to pander to Big Business.

Moral of the story = don't pander to big business......

....and don't have so much ( incompetent ) representation. Surely the House of Commons/Lords can make enough of a mess to keep most of us disillusioned without even more incompetent administration.
 
Last edited:
I hope there is a public inquiry on the horizon - but I also hope that the real issues surrounding the development will be dealt with as well as some of the goings on of late in the political playground. See http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/7148872.stm

It's a pity that this application was not dealt with appropriately from the start - Griffin is right - we pander to big business at our peril. The grass is not always greener on the other side, and we need to have a greater confidence in our ability to negotiate for the best deal for our communities and heritage.
 
I am posting the latest development on this subject, from the BBC website. This article gives some information as to John Swinney's response in Parliamentary questions this week, over the handling of this issue. John Swinney will have the final say in whether this development goes ahead. The article can be read at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/7153802.stm

It is notable that he justifies the 'calling in' of the application (an unprecedented move) by stating that this would have happened anyway. Except of course it wouldn't - due to the fact that the Council ISC had rejected the application, and Trump had said that he wouldn't appeal the decision. Such a review by ministers could only happen in the event that one or other side were to appeal the decision (having lost the initial decision). So, unfortunately, the planning process has not been allowed to follow its natural course in this case.

We may yet end up with a destructive development only due to the actions of ministers unable to let the planning process reach a natural conclusion.
 
I still don't know why we are wasting taxpayers money pandering to Trump when he has not formally appealed the ISC decision ( which incidentally still stands regardless of sacking the chairman).

Trump has six months to appeal the decison and until he does the Government should be doing nothing more until then. Trump can walk away at any time, and indeed keeps threatening this, so why are we wasting resources on the administration of this application ?

The whole thing absolutely reeks of inpropriety and double-standards from local government level through to the First Minister. My impression of Trump from all of this is: if this is how he conducts his business then we definitely do not want his sort in Scotland. However, we have a weak, incompetent minority government in office in Scotland, and on the evidence of their handling of the Trump fiasco they are clearly showing that they are not fit to govern. Don't think New Labour would have been much better either for the record - McConnell was already pandering to Trump before the election.
 
Last edited:
Happy New Year and thanks to all those with an interest in this thread and who have taken the time to contact politicians and sign the petition. There hasn't been a lot going on over Christmas with this, but to keep everyone up to date:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/north_east/7187614.stm

and http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/north_east/7176441.stm

It appears that tomorrow is a big day for some of those concerned - and indeed for all of us who are interested in this issue. Holyrood's Local Government Committee are to question those involved in the handling of the decision to 'call-in' the application for reconsideration, including Alex Salmond, John Swinney and perhaps Alan Campbell and Jim McKinnon.

Please keep signing the petition everyone, every name counts!
 
it's crunch time!

Just to keep everyone up to date from this neck of the woods. The creatures at Holyrood are getting restless, and next week we should expect publication of the report following the recent inquiry into how matters were handled with the calling-in back in December 2007.

You can read more about it here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/north_east/7266370.stm

They are still deciding how the application should be handled - the options include a public inquiry or evaluation of submitted evidence etc.

So this stuff will be back in the headlines soon with a vengeance I expect. I would also like to draw attention to the petition, set up to support the SNH decision to oppose the development at Menie. This petition closes on Saturday 1st March (that's this Saturday). I know many of you have signed it already, but there may still be some folk who never got around to registering their opposition. You can sign here:
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/trumpoff/

Sadly, this petition is still lagging behind the other one that is in favour of the development, largely due to the stranglehold of our local media and the support and hype that has been offered to the Trump camp. So numbers count at this stage - please show your support for SNH and protecting Menie if you haven't already. I believe that it is important that we preserve the wild areas of the UK for the benefit of not just ourselves, but for our children and their children. We cannot do this if it gets sold off bit by bit to developers. I am certain that if this development is allowed to go ahead, it will be just another in the world, nothing special, and looking somewhat worn and tired in twenty years time, long since bypassed by some other new sparkly development elsewhere. It won't bring money to the UK, as it's a 'one stop shop' resort so the cash will go straight to New York. Meanwhile, a protected and unique area of coastline will have been permanently damaged, and the wildlife taking sanctuary there in decline. Please sign the petition folks.
 
It has just been announced on News 24 that it will now go to public enquiry with no timescale.

Probably the best outcome !

Let's hope that Trump gets bored meantime and goes away - thought he only gave it 30 days to be resolved when the ISC rejected his application in November ?
Lindsay
 
Just an update.

TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING (SCOTLAND) ACT 1997
THE TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING (NOTIFICATION OF APPLICATIONS) (SCOTLAND) DIRECTION 2007
OUTLINE PLANNING PERMISSION FOR GOLF COURSE AND RESORT DEVELOPMENT AT LAND AT MENIE HOUSE, BALMEDIE, ABERDEEN

The Scottish Ministers have decided that this planning application should be considered by a public local inquiry and have appointed James McCulloch, Chief Reporter and Director of DPEA, to hear the evidence and to report to them.

A “relevant notice”[1] has been sent to the planning authority, and the “relevant date” is 10 March 2008. This date is used to calculate the timescales for each of the stages in the inquiry process that will follow. A copy of the relevant notice sent to the planning authority is available on request.

All of the representations made to Aberdeenshire Council have been forwarded to me, along with further letters sent to the Scottish Ministers. The views that you have expressed will be taken into account by Mr McCulloch when he makes his recommendation to Scottish Ministers. They will take the decision concerning the proposal.

Mr McCulloch has decided to hold a pre-inquiry meeting. This will start at 1.00 pm on Wednesday 26 March 2008 within the Crombie Suite, Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre, Bridge of Don, Aberdeen. This venue has full disabled access. The purpose of the pre-inquiry meeting is solely to discuss the administrative arrangements for the inquiry. No discussion will take place concerning the relative merits of the proposal. An agenda detailing the matters to be discussed at the meeting is attached.

If you intend to add to the representations that you have already made you may either:

  • send me a further letter detailing your additional concerns in full before 21st May 2008; or
  • indicate that you wish to give evidence at the inquiry. If so, please write to me by Monday 24 March indicating the issues (in outline) that you propose to cover and whether you support or object to the proposal. I shall then tell you about the procedures that you must follow, which will include the need to circulate your entire case before the inquiry starts. The dates for the inquiry and for the submission of the additional material to which you may refer during the inquiry sessions will be set following discussion at the pre-inquiry meeting. If you tell me that you propose to take part in the inquiry, I will send you a note of the pre-inquiry meeting detailing these arrangements.

The inquiry will be open to members of the public. If you have mobility or other special requirements, please let me know the nature of these needs. We will endeavour to accommodate you.

Those taking part in the inquiry are responsible for their own costs, including travel. However, any person may make a claim for an award of expenses on the grounds that there has been unreasonable behaviour by another party during the consideration of this application by Scottish Ministers. The policy governing claims for the award of expenses is contained in SDD Circular 6/1990, a copy of which can be obtained from this office and from our web pages. Claims for an award of expenses alleging unreasonable behaviour must be submitted before the public local inquiry is closed.

Finally, if you wish to discuss the case or if you are dissatisfied with any aspect of the service provided by the Directorate for Planning and Environmental Appeals, please contact me at the above number. If you remain dissatisfied, or wish to lodge a complaint, please write to the Directorate Manager at the same address.

Yours faithfully


CAROL-ANNE REDPATH

Telephone: 01324 696465 F: 01324 696444
E: dpea@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

Regards

Malky
 
a good alternative to the original design

This week the RSPB reported it has submitted an alternative design for the golf course at Menie by course architect Mike Wood. Mike Wood, an experience golf course architect dedicated to best environmental practice, has produced a routing study that has, where possible, kept to the original plans, but made relevant alterations to keep off the SSSI.

It does not change the issues regarding the excessive number of property units planned for the site, but is a step forward and is a quality viable alternative.

You can view the plans along with Mike Wood's letter at the RSPB news page:
http://www.rspb.org.uk/news/details.asp?id=tcm:9-189755

Trump cannot continue to argue that there are no viable alternative plans to produce a quality golf course. Of course, this is the brief that should have been given to Martin Hawtree at the outset. Trump has been far too quick to accept his rights to the property without taking responsibility for the long term welfare of the land and the wildlife that depends upon it.
 
Warning! This thread is more than 16 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Similar threads

wolfbirder
Capers in the Scottish Highlands 26 April - 1 May 2021
2
Replies
25
Views
7K
Ratal
Ratal
wolfbirder
Canary Islands Conundrums - Fuerteventura and Tenerife 25-31 March 2022
2
Replies
26
Views
5K
Gonçalo Elias
Gonçalo Elias
wolfbirder
Trying to sweep up in Southern Israel 21-26 February 2020
2 3 4
Replies
78
Views
13K
wolfbirder
wolfbirder
seedyrom
Florida June 2016
Replies
0
Views
1K
seedyrom
seedyrom
ovenbird43
Yucatan January 2017 - Birds, Bikes, and Fish
2
Replies
25
Views
5K
dandsblair
dandsblair

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
Back
Top