Charity protests over Trump rival’s golf course proposals
● National Trust for Scotland submits objection
The country’s largest conservation charity has challenged plans by a business rival of Donald Trump’s to build an 18-hole golf course on a key Highland coastal habitat.
The National Trust for Scotland has submitted a formal objection to a planning application for the course on a protected sand dune system at Coul Links at Embo by Dornoch, Sutherland.
The course has been proposed by US billionaire Mike Keiser whose high-end golf resorts across the world have been frequently down played by his competitor in the field, Donald Trump.
The objection lodged by NTS follows similar protests from organisations such as Scottish Wildlife Trust and RSPB Scotland.
Developers claim that 95 per cent of those who attended recent consultation events - attended by around 200 people - supported the course.
Meanwhile, around 17,500 people have so far signed an online petition against the Coul Links development.
Stuart Brooks, head of natural heritage policy at NTS, said the “beautiful and wild place” must continue to be “protected for the nation”. He added: “The Coul Links are an example of an increasingly rare coastal habitat of international significance.”
The Coul Links and the dune heath are said to sustain a variety of important wildlife including plants, birds and insects
Mr Brook said: “They represent an increasingly rare part of Scotland’s natural heritage and it is our obligation as a nation to cherish places like this for the long-term in the face of calls for what might well be illusory short-term benefit.”
He claimed high visitor numbers drawn to the area for its “outstanding” natural environment could support sus- tainable economic development.
A report has suggested the Coul Links course could bring in £6.7 million to the Highlands and support 120 jobs during the first year.
The golf course will cover 22.7 hectares, with around two thirds of it to fall within the boundary of the Loch Fleet Site of Special Scientific Interest, which covers more than 1200 hectares.
A spokesman for STRI, the project managers, said the wildlife and conservation value of the site was a “critical factor” for the development team with specialists employed to minimises initial impact of the course and provide long-term biodiversity gain.