Local referendum rejects Tesla expansion in Germany
Residents of the eastern German city of Gruenheide voted massively against Tesla's proposed expansion plan for its European assembly plant. As reported by the Financial Times, in the local referendum held recently, 65% of voters opposed the planwhich would have entailed the'felling of 100 hectares of forest to make room for a train station, warehouses and a nursery.
Although the vote has no legally binding force, city councilors have said they will respect the will of the community. It is not yet clear whether the expansion plan will be submitted to the city council again for approval or whether it will be permanently withdrawn.
On the other hand, local politicians, including the current Grünheide administration, have always supported Tesla's expansion plans, conceived as an opportunity for local employment, with the possibility of creating thousands of jobs thanks to construction of a huge additional warehouse and other necessary infrastructure. The project involves a significant expansion of the current factory, which it would go from 3 to 4.7 square kilometers.
But despite promises of new jobs and political support, the local community said “no” to the GigaFactory's expansion plan.
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