Donald Trump accuses Alex Salmond of 'destroying coastline' with wind plans

Alex Salmond (left) was accused by Donald Trump of threatening Scotland's coastline

US tycoon Donald Trump has accused First Minister Alex Salmond of seeming "hell bent on destroying Scotland's coastline" with wind power.

Mr Trump, who objects to plans for a wind farm near his Scottish golf resort, said he would not be on board.

He has written to Mr Salmond saying: "You will single-handedly have done more damage to Scotland than virtually any event in Scottish history."

The Scottish government said Scottish waters had great potential.

Mr Trump has already said he will abandon his plans for a hotel and houses at his golf resort on the Menie Estate if a nearby wind farm is approved.

The European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre is a £150m venture by Vattenfall, Technip and Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group.

Mr Trump also writes in his letter: "Taxing your citizens to subsidise wind projects owned by foreign energy companies will destroy your country and its economy.

"Jobs will not be created in Scotland because these ugly monstrosities known as turbines are manufactured in other countries such as China.

"These countries are laughing at you."

He said of the future: "You will be long gone, but the people of Scotland will forever suffer.

"I have just authorised my staff to allocate a substantial sum of money to launch an international campaign to fight your plan to surround Scotland's coast with many thousands of wind turbines.

"It will be like looking through the bars of a prison and the Scottish citizens will be the prisoners.

"Luckily, tourists will not suffer because there will be none as they will be going to other countries that had the foresight to use other forms of energy."

Mr Trump added of his objection: "I am doing this to save Scotland."

'Power Scotland'

A Scottish government spokesman said: "An application for consent for the European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre has been submitted to Marine Scotland, and we are currently considering the views of consultees, interested parties, and the public.

"Scottish waters are estimated to have as much as a quarter of Europe's potential offshore wind energy.

"A recent study suggests that harnessing just a third of the practical resource off our coast by 2050 would enable us to generate enough electricity to power Scotland seven times over.

"An independent Scotland will be able to take full responsibility for this renewables revolution, along with the investment and thousands of jobs it brings."

Chief executive of Scottish Renewables Niall Stuart responded to Mr Trump's comments by asking: "Who is Donald Trump to tell Scotland what is good for our economy and our environment?"

He added: "Offshore wind is already attracting billions of pounds of investment and supporting hundreds of jobs across Scotland, including in his mother's hometown of Stornoway.

"He completely overblows the impact of the proposed wind farm and, to be honest, there are so many mistakes in the 'trumped-up' nonsense that it's difficult to know where to begin.

"There is absolutely no reason whatsoever that these two developments cannot exist side by side."