Donald Trump's Battle of Balmedie, Scotland–Mass Tourism Style

Beyond Green Travel is a blog written by Global Travel Editor Costas Christ

What Donald Trump wants, he gets–but maybe not all of it this time. 

Since I first blogged last year about the struggle between environmentalists and local residents opposed to Trump’s plans to build a mass tourism development on an unspoiled stretch of Scottish coastline (see my blog entry of July 4, 2008), the battle has become hotter, grabbing the attention of the New York Times, who reported this month on Trump’s progress in turning 1,400 acres of fragile natural habitat and rural countryside in Balmedie, Scotland, into 950 vacation homes, two golf courses, a 450 room hotel, 500 single-family houses, a conference center and a golf academy. The only thing now standing in Trump’s way is not investment money in these bad economic times (he recently boasted that he sold a house in Palm Beach for $100 million) but rather, a local fisherman named, Michael Forbes. 

Despite mounting pressure, Forbes has refused to sell or move off of his 23 acre farm, where he has lived for 41 years and which sits right in the middle of Trump’s mass tourism building site, which also includes an ecologically sensitive area designated for migratory birds. 

Seven local community officials who voted against Trump’s project were declared “traitors" in news headlines and then overruled by the Scottish Government. Martin Ford, the locally-elected Chairman who cast the decisive vote against Trump’s plan, was ousted and stripped of his chairmanship, causing him to lose half his annual income. And, after refusing to give up his land to Trump, saying he would not move, no matter who wanted him to, Michael Forbes has found himself subject to an odd series of inspections from authorities who showed up at his home to see if he was abusing his farm animals (he was not), if he had a proper license for his shotgun (he does), and other similar random investigations. 

Trump, who usually flies into the area on his private jet and makes statements, has called Forbes’ 23 acre coastal farm, a monstrosity that ought to be cleaned up or condemned. But Forbes is not giving up his land and home easily, if at all. Locals who understand the need for economic development, particularly in hard economic times, have made the case that this is not the right place for a project as big as what Trump plans. But as I reported in my blog on January 13, 2009, government permission has already been granted to Trump to proceed with his mega-tourism development. Only Michael Forbes now stands in his way. This is Scotland, where bravery is part of cultural heritage. Stay tuned.

Comments

[tyre prices]

I personally can not develop the use of software. I just use the existing software only. I am a user not a programmer.

[HostasDirect.com Heucheras for sale]

Nobody should ever be harassed into giving up their land. Stand strong for what you believe.

[auto insurance quotes comparison]

but at what price. Nobody should ever be harassed into giving up their land. Stand strong for what you believe.

[Genesis]

Your posts on the steps to follow in preparing and using tools in addition to your blog will be a reference in future.

[Cartier Watches]

how to make people rally behind it, obviously from the responses taking time and real effort to make a good article !!

[Aircraft For Sale]

Your posts on the steps to follow in preparing and using tools in addition to your blog will be a reference in future.

[unlock iphone]

It is just to bad that everything comes to this. Lets preserve, why put our technological footprint on everything..

[professional answering service]

I commend Michael Forbes for trying to protect Scotland's natural habitat.

[los angeles answering services]

Nobody should ever be harassed into giving up their land. Stand strong for what you believe.

[unlock iphone 4]

Hope you enjoy your thousands, or even millions, for camping and bitching for a few months. Good luck.

[Cheap Computer Desks]

Nobody should ever be harassed into giving up their land. Stand strong for what you believe.

[Reseller hosting pakistan]

hmm..Thanks for the post..

[theshiftersdc]

I am happy meeting you. Your posts on the steps to follow in preparing and using tools in addition to your blog will be a reference in future.

[rapturestyle]

Nobody should ever be harassed into giving up their land. Stand strong for what you believe.

[royalty accounting software]

You also know how to make people rally behind it, obviously from the responses taking time and real effort to make a good article !!

[Tricep Workouts]

I am happy meeting you. Your posts on the steps to follow in preparing and using tools in addition to your blog will be a reference in future.

[Properties for sale in France]

I am all for economic improvement, but at what price. Nobody should ever be harassed into giving up their land. Stand strong for what you believe.

[graphic design]

I am all for economic improvement, but at what price. Nobody should ever be harassed into giving up their land.

[seattle moving company]

The importance of this is that the Statute of Limitations allows two years for you to make a compensation claim for your building site injury from your date of knowledge.

[corporate training]

I commend Michael Forbes for trying to protect Scotland's natural habitat. I am all for economic improvement, but at what price.

[ecommerce website design]

I commend Michael Forbes for trying to protect Scotland's natural habitat. I am all for economic improvement, but at what price.

[Learn English Denver Colorado]

I commend Michael Forbes for trying to protect Scotland's natural habitat. I am all for economic improvement, but at what price.

[modern warfare 3]

You also know how to make people rally behind it, obviously from the responses taking time and real effort to make a good article !!

[Iunlock iphone 4s]

I am all for economic improvement, but at what price. Nobody should ever be harassed into giving up their land. Stand strong for what you believe.

[the paleo diet]

I commend Michael Forbes for trying to protect Scotland's natural habitat. I am all for economic improvement, but at what price.