Adelaide Tesla factory backlash as Marion locals revolt over Chestnut Court Reserve sale

About 1000 responses poured in over plans to build a Tesla battery factory in a disused park in Adelaide’s southern suburbs.

A plan to sell off community land to build a Tesla factory in Adelaide’s southern suburbs has sparked a fierce backlash from residents – and claims Elon Musk’s company is “a horrible business” that would be a magnet for protests.

In a letter to residents in April, Marion Council said the proposal to sell off Chestnut Court Reserve to a developer that wants to build a Tesla battery factory, servicing facility and vehicle showroom would create significant financial benefits.

But residents have reacted with fury, complaining about the company’s controversial owner and the loss of public green space and tree coverage – despite the heavily contaminated reserve having been closed to the public since 2016.

Of nearly 1000 responses to the council’s community consultation last month, 897 – about 90 per cent – did not support the proposal, while a mere 51 were in favour.

Tesla, SpaceX and X CEO Elon Musk speaks during an inauguration event at Capital One Arena on January 20, 2025 in Washington, DC. Picture: Christopher Furlong /Getty Images via AFP

Mr Musk, the world’s richest man, has become a hugely polarising figure thanks to his close association with US President Donald Trump, promotion of right-wing conspiracies on his social media platform X, and savage cuts to services as head of the US Department of Government Efficiency.

Residents took to Facebook to share their opposition, with one labelling the proposed plan “a noisy, ugly, planet-destroying temple to billionaires”.

“Tesla is a horrible business for the City of Marion to even consider providing this land to,” another resident said

Community members have created a website called ‘Trees Not Teslas’ to oppose the facility, stating that it risks “bringing protests to the area, gives the community a bad image, and hurts Tonsley’s reputation”.

City of Marion councillor Sarah Luscombe opposes the plans and wants the council to explore other options.

“If council wants to do more to activate the land then it could be put out to open tender to more local companies who could innovate and do something with the land for conservation biodiversity (and) improve tree canopy,” Ms Luscombe said.

The parcel of council land is sandwiched between two areas owned by the state, with Tesla looking to purchase the whole area.

Marion locals against the Tesla Battery Factory plans for Chestnut Court Reserve. Picture: Ben Clark

Ms Luscombe said that the council should “think really carefully” about the decision as Chestnut Court Reserve is currently a “linchpin” in negotiations.

“If we say no to this it actually means that the whole project is very unlikely to go ahead,” she said.

“We know the land is contaminated so we can’t necessarily turn it back into a park again ... but if we put it out to the market who knows what we can get.”

Local resident Jane Preston said she was concerned that 58 trees face the chop if the planned facility goes ahead.

“I am not totally opposed to the Tesla battery – I know that the local community are because of the association with Elon Musk, however ... my main concern is that the land is contaminated and that they can remediate that with actually planting more trees,” she said.

“Marion Council has one of the lowest tree canopy covers, they’ve got 15 per cent and it has been reported that we need 30 per cent so they have got half – we want to try and save as many as we can.”

The issue will be discussed at Tuesday’s council meeting. Tesla was contacted for comment.