Blow for Devils: state’s planning commission says no to Hobart stadium

The Tasmania Devils’ bid to join the AFL received a major blow on Wednesday when the state’s planning commission released a report advising against building a $945 million roofed stadium in Hobart.

However, Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff said the report only strengthened his resolve to proceed with the stadium, which is a condition of the Devils’ entry into the league, slated for 2028.

Rockliff introduced enabling legislation – the Macquarie Point Planning Permit Bill – in April, which would have given parliament the power to issue a permit to develop a multipurpose stadium at Macquarie Point.

But since the July election, the new parliament only needs to pass an order through both houses incorporating feedback from the report and elements of the enabling legislation to kickstart the stadium’s construction. Parliament now has the final say on a project of state significance.

“As a growing state, we simply cannot afford not to, this is so much bigger than politics. This is our future on the line,” Rockliff said.

The stadium project has bipartisan support from the Liberals and Labor, ensuring the order’s passage through the lower house. But the report adds ammunition for anti-stadium members of the upper house, with three of eight independents needed to support the stadium. Four of the eight independents have anti-stadium members.

The Tasmanian Planning Commission used blunt language in delivering its recommendations.

“The panel recommends that the project should not proceed … the panel has concluded that the benefits are outweighed by the disbenefits,” the report said.

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

The commission’s involvement in the process was triggered when the Tasmanian government, under heavy political pressure, declared the stadium a project of state significance. The government had also attempted to push through enabling legislation to circumvent the usual planning and construction process. That push was halted when an election was called after a vote of no confidence in Rockliff was held in parliament in June.

The AFL has not budged from its position that the stadium is essential to the Devils’ AFL and AFLW teams being admitted to the competition; the granting of the AFL licence is conditional on the stadium’s approval.

Rockliff said the Planning Commission’s report “massively underestimates the social and economic benefits the stadium, a new AFL team and a supercharged events industry will have on Tasmania”.

In a statement released to this masthead, the AFL indicated it remained confident the stadium would be built. A source familiar with the matter, who wished to remain anonymous due to the political nature of the issue, said the AFL wanted the legislation in place by November to ensure construction of the stadium began on time to field a team.

The Devils did not wish to comment. They are in the process of appointing a coach – Nathan Buckley is the favoured candidate – and developing a VFL team to enter the competition next season. The AFL Commission is also expected to reveal the team’s list establishment rules, including future picks, next week, meaning the Devils will have a role in this year’s exchange period. There is also a high-performance centre being built at Kingston Twin Ovals that is expected to cost $75 million.

“The Tasmania Devils continue to make great progress led by chairman Grant O’Brien, CEO Brendon Gale, the board and inaugural team member Kath McCann,” an AFL spokesperson said on Wednesday.

“More than 210,000 members have signed up and pledged their support, signifying great momentum and backing for the club. The recent introduction into the VFL and VFLW competitions is another milestone in the club’s short history.

“A clear component of the licence bid from the Tasmanian taskforce was a new roofed stadium at Macquarie Point with a capacity of at least 23,000. The AFL’s continued position is that this is a condition for the grant of the 19th licence.”

The panel’s report was a devastating critique of arguments in favour of the stadium. Point after point, the report rejected the build, saying:

• 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.
• It will irrevocably change for the worse the way in which the landscape and urban pattern is appreciated and understood.
• 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. In addition, the nature of the stadium design and what is necessary for the project, and the physical constraints of the site, are such that it is unlikely that there will be scope for general activation of those areas of the site which are not consumed by the stadium.
• It will also adversely affect the general character of Sullivans Cove as a whole, and the experience of it. The panel does not consider that the stadium building will be iconic, as claimed by the proponent.

In conclusion, the commission wrote:

“The fundamental problem is the size, location and geographical features of the site, in its highly valued context, do not support the disproportionately large, monolithic building proposed.

“It is a building which is incongruent with the valued characteristics of its spatial context, completely at odds with the long-established planning principles guiding and informing development, and with the land and urban fabric surrounding the site and the heritage values associated with nearby places.

“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.”

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