Planning Commission reveals stadium verdict

The Tasmanian Planning Commission has rejected the government’s application to build a stadium at Macquarie Point. See the details.

New renders of the proposed Macquarie Point stadium, home of the Tasmanian Devils. Provided May 26, 2025.

The Tasmanian Planning Commission has emphatically rejected the application to build a stadium at Hobart’s Macquarie Point – saying it is too big for the site, will deliver fewer benefits than claimed and will plunge the state $1.8bn into debt.

The Macquarie Point Multipurpose Stadium Integrated Assessment was released this morning.

It says “the Panel recommends that the Project should not proceed’.

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

Rum'un the Devil is Tasmania Football Club's first mascot. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

It also said the economic benefits did not stack up.

“The Panel’s cost benefit analysis shows that the construction and operation of the stadium results in a substantial net social cost to the Tasmanian community.

“There will be an ever-increasing debt associated with the stadium because of the compound interest effect, unless taxes are increased, or spending on public services reduced, or other planned state capital projects abandoned, to pay for it.

The TPC said that the overall cost would be much greater than expected.

“At the end of the construction period, the loan required for the stadium is estimated to be approximately $1.0bn.

“At the end of 10 years, because of the compounding interest on deficit financing, the debt attributable to the stadium would be approximately $1.8bn, assuming a borrowing rate of five per cent and taking into account the lifecycle costs, team subsidies, and event attraction costs, as well as the net financial operating position of the stadium.

“There will be an ever-increasing debt associated with the stadium because of the compound interest effect, unless taxes are increased, or spending on public services reduced, or other planned state capital projects abandoned, to pay for it.”

Among the other findings:

* The size, shape and location of the site is ill-suited to a building like the stadium – a singular, large, bulky monolith which will overwhelm those surrounding buildings and the setting.

* 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.

* The Panel has concluded that the adverse effects are unacceptable. The Project will not be a ‘fair’ development in that it (principally parts and features of the stadium) will extensively and irreparably damage the historic cultural heritage of the heritage listed buildings in Hunter Street and the Engineers building, and most particularly, the Cenotaph.

* 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.

New renders of the proposed Macquarie Point stadium, home of the Tasmanian Devils. Provided May 26, 2025.

Construction of the $945m roofed 23,000-seat venue is a condition of the island state’s licence for AFL and AFLW entry in 2028.

The TPC report comes after the government decided to bypass regular planning rules to declare the venue a Project of State Significance.

An attempt to replace the TPC’s Project of State Significance assessment with enabling legislation was stymied by the calling of an early state election in July this year.

Premier Jeremy Rockliff will speak about the TPC report at 10am.

Initial: The Tasmanian Planning Commission will hand down its keenly anticipated report on the proposed Macquarie Point stadium this morning.

Construction of the $945m roofed 23,000-seat venue is a condition of the island state’s licence for AFL and AFLW entry in 2028.

The Macquarie Point Multipurpose Stadium Integrated Assessment report comes after the government decided to bypass regular planning rules to declare the venue a Project of State Significance.

An attempt to bypass the PoSS process with enabling legislation was stymied by the calling of an early state election in July this year.

The government has promised the stadium will need to be backed by both houses of state parliament if it is to be built.

The TPC has already produced one report on the project.

Minister for Tourism, Hospitality and Events Jane Howlett said the government had not yet received the report and did not know what it said.

“We’re looking forward to receiving that report. Obviously, the report will have to go through both Houses of Parliament, but it’s about the whole Macquarie Point precinct,” she said.

“I’m really excited about the conference events and the visitor numbers that it will attract to Tasmania.

“We’ve got jobs, we’ve got small businesses and events, and being able to host specific music events in that facility is just going to be incredible, and we know, obviously, that we’re missing out on a lot of business conference events as well.”

Both the Liberals and the Labor opposition support the stadium.

Greens MLC Cassy O’Connor said she was hoping it was the end of the matter.

“Like the majority of Tasmanians, we hope that the Planning Commission rejects the stadium, but obviously we can’t prejudge or pre-empt that report,” she said.

Originally published as Planning Commission reveals stadium verdict