Last week Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) recommended that Menie links, the stretch of coast where Trump’s golf course was built, should have its conservation status revoked because the development has destroyed the special features of the site. Kate Bellew, RSPB Scotland’s Senior Conservation Planner tells us more.
Special conservation status of Trump golf dunes to be revoked. Can we make Scotland’s environment great again?
Next week marks seven years since Trump International Golf Links in Menie, Aberdeenshire opened amidst much controversy. Environmental NGOs, the government agency SNH and many people locally, from across Scotland and from far beyond strongly opposed the development on the basis that it would destroy much of the special dune habitats, protected as a nationally important Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). Last week SNH confirmed that the development has indeed caused extensive damage to the special features of the site, and therefore proposes to revoke the status of Menie Links as a SSSI. This begs the question: just how protected are our protected nature sites?
Menie Links, the stretch of coastline on which the Trump golf course is built, has been protected as part of the wider Foveran Links SSSI since 1984. This special status was due to its outstanding shifting dune system that provided a home to many migratory bird species and rare and nationally important plantlife.
Dune habitats on the SSSI pre-construction © Ian Francis
Scottish Ministers granted planning permission for the Trump Links against the advice of SNH, as well as many other ecological experts, back in 2008. It was the opinion of the then Scottish Government that environmental losses would be outweighed by the economic gains that would be created by the golf course. Sadly, the announcement by SNH last week confirms that the development has permanently destroyed and modified the special habitats at Menie, in particular the rare mobile dune system. This marks the start of a three-month consultation process to de-list this area as a nationally important wildlife site. Meanwhile, the golf course has so far failed to deliver the promised economic windfall.
Dune habitats on the SSSI post-construction © Ian Francis
Incredibly, despite the ongoing problems caused by Trump’s course, nearly ten years later history appears to be in danger of repeating itself at Coul Links in East Sutherland. Coul Links is a triple-protected nature site where a new proposal for a golf course has been made. Coul Links has even more levels of protection than Menie; it’s not just a nationally protected SSSI, but also a wildlife site that is strictly protected at the European and international levels. The creation of a network of tees, fairways, manicured greens and footpaths on Coul Links could destroy irreplaceable dune habitats and disrupt natural processes. If the proposed development is consented, it would result in a similar de-notification process.
The planning inquiry for Coul Links recently came to a close and we are currently still waiting for the developers delayed closing submissions. As with the Trump case, many conservation NGOs, the government agency SNH and tens of thousands of people from the local area and far beyond have spoken out about the proposals, highlighting the significant and irreversible impacts on the SSSI.
Protected dune habitats at Coul Links © Vince Lowe
Ultimately, the fate of Coul Links lies in the hands of Scottish Ministers. The significance of this decision will now be even more in the spotlight given the urgent need to tackle the global climate and nature crises. Scotland’s First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, has made a number of very welcome statements recently, including declaring a climate emergency and stating that Scotland must lead the way in tackling wildlife loss.
Public opinion on environmental issues is shifting; and is starting to have an effect on decisions. The Welsh First Minister recently made a welcome decision to refuse a major road scheme in Wales that would have impacted a nationally protected wildlife site. Times have changed, and Governments all around the world are waking up to the climate and nature crises. We hope that the Scottish Government leads the way by showing that decisions to approve environmentally damaging developments like Donald Trump’s Aberdeenshire project and Coul Links are consigned to a less enlightened period in Scotland’s history.
If, like us, you believe that sites protected for nature should actually mean something, please add your voice to our e-action and tell Scottish Ministers why they should save Coul Links.