Plans for wind test centre off Aberdeen suffers setback

The £230m wind farm would be off the Aberdeen coast

Plans for a wind turbine testing centre in Aberdeen Bay have suffered a major setback.

Aberdeenshire councillors have rejected a planning application to build an electricity substation for the development.

The companies behind the £230m European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre (EOWDC) said they would consider an appeal.

American businessman Donald Trump is a critic of the wind farm plan.

The Trump Organisation welcomed the decision.

'Missed opportunity'

Iain Todd, spokesperson for the EOWDC project partners, said: "We are extremely disappointed at the decision.

"We believe this a missed opportunity for the region and that we could have worked with Aberdeenshire Council to agree further conditions to progress the scheme.

"We will give careful consideration to the formal reasons for the decision before we decide our next steps."

Mr Trump's legal team launched the bid earlier this year to try to stop the project near his golf resort at Balmedie.

The wind farm development project consists of 11 turbines.

Ministers believe renewable energy is essential for Scotland's economy.