Tesla has officially received approval to proceed with the first stage of its Giga Berlin expansion plans, which will see the facility’s production capacity more than double to 1 million cars per year, making it the largest automotive factory in the country.
On Tuesday the local environment ministry approved the construction of additional infrastructure at Giga Berlin, marking the beginning of a three-stage expansion process. The approval covers the construction of a large hall, which will house storage areas, a battery cell testing laboratory, and expanded logistics infrastructure, according to a report from Reuters.
All of the new construction will take place on land already owned by Tesla, aligning with the company’s originally announced plans.
While Tesla has now received this important approval, the expansion has not been without controversy. Since Tesla announced its plans, there has been significant local opposition, particularly from environmental activists. These protesters have been camping in treehouses in the nearby woods for over six months in an attempt to prevent the expansion and further removal of trees from the cardboard plantation.
Earlier this year, locals in Grünheide voted against the expansion that would have allowed more trees to be cleared to make way for the project, though the vote was not legally binding.
