Aucoteam, a Berlin-based company, had planned to expand its operations in the city. The company, which specializes in software and automation solutions, had intended to build a new testing center for batteries in the “Cleantech Business Park” in Marzahn, a district in the outskirts of Berlin. The project, which was expected to create several dozen new jobs, had been in the works for years, with the company and the state-owned marketing agency Wista agreeing on the purchase of the land in 2022.
However, the project faced numerous delays and setbacks. The company’s CEO, Jan Frederik Seidel, attributed the delays to a series of unforeseen events, including the discovery of a rare and protected species of toad, the Wechselkröte, on the proposed building site. The company’s plans were initially approved by the local environmental authority, but were later rejected and the project was put on hold.
The company took the matter to court and in the summer of 2023, the Berlin Administrative Court ruled in favor of Aucoteam, stating that there was no evidence of the toad’s presence on the site. The company was able to proceed with the project and the local authorities finally granted the necessary permits in the fall of that year.
But just as the project was about to begin, a new lawsuit was filed by the Berlin Landesarbeitsgemeinschaft Naturschutz, a nature conservation organization and the court once again ruled in favor of the organization, ordering the project to be halted. The company was forced to abandon the project and the sale of the land was reversed.
The failed project had cost the company a significant amount of money and the CEO expressed relief that the company had not yet purchased equipment and machinery for the proposed testing center. The company’s CEO also expressed frustration at the lack of transparency and consistency in the decision-making process and the failure of local politicians to provide support. The Berlin Industrial and Trade Association, however, stated that the preservation of biodiversity was a priority and that a balance needed to be struck between ecology and economy.