Latest Tassie stadium rejection leaves AFL's 19th team in limbo

The Devils have been slapped with a major setback after the Tasmanian Planning Commission advised against building a stadium at Hobart’s Macquarie Point.

The TPC rejected the application to build citing size as one issue, a lack of benefits and the fact it threatens to plunge the state $1.8bn into debt.

“The Panel has concluded that the benefits are outweighed by the disbenefits,” a report said.

“Proceeding with the Project will give rise to irrevocable and unacceptable adverse impacts on Hobart’s spatial and landscape character, urban form and historic cultural heritage,” it says.

“In addition, the Project represents a significant net cost and will diminish the economic welfare of Tasmanians as a whole, and it offers almost no scope for the site to become a vibrant active place that is attractive to visit outside of major event mode.

“In very simple terms, the stadium is too big for the site and the benefits it will bring are significantly outweighed by the disbenefits it creates.”

Building the 23,000 seat stadium is a condition of entry into the AFL and AFLW, without it a license will not be granted.

"Where do we go from here?" Sam Edmund said on SEN. "Will it still have bipartisan support? It will still go to the vote; we’re told it’s the upper house that poses the problem.

"There is a school of thought at AFL House that this was coming and it won’t be the only obstacle they have to blast through.

"But there is not really a sliver of optimism in the entire report.

"When you put the scenario to the AFL, they are resolute no stadium is no team."

If the vote is not successful then it is believed the issue goes back to the AFL to decide if they will grant the license.

Reacting to the report, Tasmania Premier, Jeremy Rockliff said: "Today, the Tasmanian Planning Commission has released their report on the Mac Point Stadium.

"It found that concerns around transport, safety, access and noise can be successfully addressed.

"Unfortunately, it still massively underestimates the social and economic benefits that the stadium, a new AFL team, and a supercharged events industry will have on Tasmania.

"It’s the reason why new stadiums right around the nation are approved using special laws, not the traditional planning scheme.

"And that’s why our process gives Parliament the final say. The TPC has done its job, and I thank them.

"It’s now time for democratically elected Members of Parliament to have the final say. We will provide a comprehensive response to the TPC report soon. And we will continue to fight for this project.

"Because as a growing State, we simply cannot afford not to. This is so much bigger than politics.

"This is our future on the line."