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Peter Thiel: Environmentalists protest against Facebook investor's property

2021-10-19T06:52:47.596Z


The German-American Peter Thiel was one of the first investors on Facebook. Now the billionaire wants to build a property on one of New Zealand's most beautiful lakes - and meets bitter resistance.


Enlarge image

Lake Wanaka, New Zealand

Photo: Markus Lange / robertharding / IMAGO

A luxury residence planned by the German-American billionaire Peter Thiel in New Zealand is sharply criticized by environmentalists. Several local environmental organizations objected to the plans, according to which parts of the Wanaka lake shore are to be built on. The planned buildings are in the midst of a landscape of "national importance" and would change it in a "physically significant negative", quotes the "Guardian" of the "Upper Clutha Environmental Society". The "Longview Environmental Trust" called the location inappropriate and "clearly visible". According to the Guardian, the responsible city council received a total of seven objections to the plans.

In September, a company owned by the billionaire submitted the designs for the site. Accordingly, the residence should offer space for up to 24 guests, including a meditation room, water games, a spa and a library. The architecture company of Kengo Kuma, known for the architecture of the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo, is responsible for the design of the building. The total area that Thiel owns is 193 hectares and is located on the South Island of New Zealand, on the mountain lake Lake Wanaka. According to media reports, Thiel is said to have bought the site for $ 13.5 million in 2015.

It has been known since 2017 that Thiel is a citizen of New Zealand. In a controversial process, the multibillionaire was granted citizenship even though he had previously only spent about 12 days in the country. Normally, applicants should have their primary residence in the island state for five years before citizenship is approved. Thiel, it is said in a dossier of the »New Zealand Herald«, the largest newspaper in the country, »has hardly been seen since then and is buying up real estate and land«. He is considered part of a cohort of super-rich investors who are preparing for a possible global economic crisis or even an apocalypse in the island state with luxurious properties.

Thiel is one of the co-founders of the payment service provider PayPal and was one of the earliest investors in Facebook.

The US magazine Forbes estimates his fortune at a total of 3.8 billion US dollars.

Politically, Thiel's positions are controversial: He is considered libertarian and was one of the early supporters of former US President Donald Trump.

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Source: spiegel

All business articles on 2021-10-19

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