PRESIDENT-elect Donald Trump's company has withdrawn a planning application to erect a two kilometre protective wall along the Irish coastline next to his golf resort.
TIGL Ireland Enterprises Ltd., a Trump-owned company, will however submit an alternative plan for a shorter wall to be in place at the dunes to protect the area from the Atlantic.
President-elect Trump won't be getting his 2km wall at Doonbeg. (Picture: Edward Munoz Alvarez/Getty Images)The dune face of the coastline at Doonbeg had, according to TIGL, been eroded by 20 metres since 2002 and all efforts at "soft management" of the coastline have failed, as well as efforts to readjust the course had also been "expended" according to the hotel group.
Expansion of the hotel, leisure facilities and visitor numbers to west Clare depends on the "adequate protection from coastal erosion" and in an effort to speed up the construction of the protective wall, the previous plans were withdrawn, and alternative plans for a shorter wall will now be submitted.
"Doonbeg Golf Resort proposes to seek, at the soonest, planning permission from Clare County Council to place coastal protection at a number of locations on the seaward edge of the golf course at Doughmore Bay," the company said in a statement.
"Protection would be afforded to the golf course hole numbers 1, 9 and 18.
"The works would be wholly within lands owned by the golf course, there would be no material effect upon the adjacent SAC areas and the coastal protection would extend to c. 600m at the south and c. 250m at the north of the beach.
"Metal sheet piles would be inserted into the ground on the golf course and limestone boulders would be placed at the base of the sheet piles.
"Once completed, the works would not be visible to view, being covered by sand and the cobble bank which backs the beach.
"Access to the beach for all users as exists today will be maintained. Works are estimated to take 10-12 weeks," it added.
The Carrowmore dunes, where the proposed wall would be built, have been designated a Special Area of Conservation and a Natura 2000 site.
Environmental campaigners have argued the recent application proposal is merely evidence of Trump’s hypocrisy.
League of Conservation Voters spokesman Seth Stein told the New York Daily News: “Trump’s move to literally shield himself from the impacts of climate change while denying the problem even exists reveals one of his fundamental flaws.
“He’ll do whatever it takes to protect his own profits, but shows little interest in protecting the rest of us.”
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