Tesla ordered to stop clearing trees at German factory site

skynews

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Tesla has been ordered to stop cutting down trees at the site in Germany where it is planning to build its first car and battery factory in Europe - after environmentalists objected.

The electric car maker had announced in November that it planned to build the "gigafactory" at a site near Berlin.

It has not yet won planning permission to build the plant but was cleared by state authorities to cut down 92 hectares (227 acres) of forest.

Hundreds of demonstrators have protested over the threat they say the factory poses to local wildlife and water supplies.

On Sunday, a court issued an order to stop the tree-felling pending a ruling on a complaint brought by local environmentalist group Gruene Liga Brandenburg (Green League of Brandenburg).

Without the court's injunction, the work would have been completed in only three more days, the court said.

"It should not be assumed that the motion seeking legal protection brought by the Green League lacks any chance of

succeeding," the court added.

Pro-business German legislators have warned that the legal battle against the gigafactory would damage the country's image as a place to do business.

Tesla currently has two gigafactories in the US and one in China. It had hoped to complete the factory in Germany by the middle of next year.

The company's shares have rocketed by 340% since last June as more investors bet on boss Elon Musk's growth ambitions.