Supporting Sustainable Aberdeenshire - No to Trump

Menie Not Money

Environmental Impact Assessment - A flawed Document

The Environmental Impact Assessment submitted was prepared by consultants Ironside Farrar - a reputable firm of environmental consultants. Those who have reviewed the Assessment often praise the scientific aspects of the report, but are less complimentary about those sections which require an assessment of the available options, or of the effectiveness of the mitigation measures proposed to allow the development to go ahead. Its almost as though Trump International are just going through the motions - "We've done the assessment, now lets get on with the original plan"

Belhelvie Community council appointed an expert to review the Assessment. On of these comments was on the failure of the report to show the decision process on the selection of the site. as below:

Scottish National Heritage pointed out a number of flaws in the Assessment. An example is their comment on the key section on sutainability:

The sustainability assessment significantly underplays the impacts of the development and appears to contradict the conclusions of other chapters of the Environmental Statement.  The study does not present an assessment of the full range of social, economic and environmental benefits and dis-benefits.  Therefore it is unable to identify areas of conflict.  It does not seek to minimise negative impacts nor to enhance positive effects.

SNH would expect that a major and high-profile development such as this would respond positively to the challenges of sustainability and climate change and actively seek ways to promote excellence in the location, design, construction, management and use of such developments.