Tesla allowed to lay foundation for Giga Berlin

Tesla has received the green light from the German authorities to start building the foundations for the planned plant in Grünheide – even though the rest of the environmental permit is still pending. This was announced by the Environment Ministry of the German state of Brandenburg.

The Californian electric car manufacturer can now officially begin with foundation work. The approval will allow earthworks and shell construction as well as the construction of traffic areas on the site, but not work above pile foundations and below the aquifer.

The fourth preliminary permission for #GigaBerlin was published today.

"Foundation work above the aquifer, earthworks, structural work and the construction of private traffic areas on the site are permitted" – work under aquifier and obove pilles is not!https://t.co/7P25gZqRZL

— Giga Berlin / Gigafactory 4 (@gigafactory_4) July 14, 2020

As in the case of clearing, Tesla will carry out the work ahead of schedule – i.e. at its own risk: If the entire project is not ultimately approved, Tesla must remove the foundations at its own expense. It is not yet clear when the building application will be approved – the hearings on the 370 objections to the building project could not take place as planned in March due to the Covid-19 pandemic. As things stand at present, they are to be made up for in September.

In the meantime, Tesla had submitted the required amended application documents for the emission control approval procedure in June. It is known that the “Giga Berlin” in Brandenburg will be the site for the construction of the Model Y for Europe from 2021.

mluk.brandenburg.de (in German)