POSS APPLICATION

The application for the development of the new Multipurpose Stadium at Macquarie Point has been submitted, marking the beginning of its assessment as a Project of State Significance.

The Tasmanian Planning Commission is assessing the proposal against its Integrated Assessment Guidelines, which consider factors such as land-use planning, environmental impacts, cultural and heritage considerations, transport and movement, and economic and social outcomes.

The submission includes a detailed 260-page Summary Report along with around 4,000 pages of supporting documentation.

The Multipurpose Stadium features a roofed design and function centre, designed with fan experience in mind.

Some key features

The Multipurpose Stadium will include:

23,000 seated capacity, with 1,500 additional spaces offering structured standing options
31,500 patron capacity for major concert events
1,500 person function room with views to both the field of play and toward kunanyi/Mt Wellington
159.5m x 128.5m oval field-of-play
transparent fixed dome-shaped roof supported by steel and locally sourced and grown timber
an elevated 360-degree internal concourse, as well as an external concourse
an intimate seating bowl that will bring crowds closer to the action
a concourse design that enables fans to see the field-of-play while waiting for food, drinks and to use amenities
a serviced grandstand on the western side with three levels of functional space above the field.

The submission is available on the Tasmanian Planning Commission’s website here.

FAQs

Process

How long will the assessment process take?

12 months.

When the project was declared a Project of State Significance by the Parliament, the Premier issued a Direction (as is required as part of the assessment process), which included setting a timeframe of 12 months for the Tasmanian Planning Commission to complete its assessment.

When can the community expect to have its say?

We can expect to hear more from the Tasmania Planning Commission as it commences the assessment process. However, noting this is a detailed submission, it is likely to take a few months before a draft report is prepared ready for the consultation process to start.

Economic impact / cost

What is the cost? Is the project still on budget? The submission has a cost estimation of $775M

The submission has been prepared based on the concept design work that has been completed to inform the planning assessment.

In parallel, detailed design work is continuing which will continue to inform cost planning and the allocation of contingencies.

The budget for the project remains at $715M, which will be managed through staging, value and scope management.

How will the project be managed to budget?

The submission that has been prepared is to seek planning approval. The Corporation has put together a package to seek approval for the full scope of uses anticipated and is using the concept design that has been prepared at this stage in the design process.

Work is continuing on the more detailed design which will refine the cost estimation.

Stadia are generally delivered in stages and we’ll work through the delivery options in keeping with the planning assessment and conditions that are identified through this assessment process, and our own further work through the detailed design process.

Where will the additional funding come from?

We’ll be exploring a range of options to seek contributions to the project and precinct more broadly. The remediation and planned redevelopment of Mac Point has always involved pathways that include taking parcels to market to support private sector investment.

Transport

Will there be car parking on site?

The Submission includes a car park that will support the broader precinct and will provide car parks to support the operations of the multipurpose stadium on event days.

General access to the facility will be supported by the existing car parks that are located in and around the city, event-day bus services and other modes of travel including drop-off, walking and ferries facilities.

This will facilitate the safe and effective movement of large amounts of people in and out of the city, and best practice as seen in stadia across the country and world.

The submission is supported by a transport study that models traffic movement in 2030.

What about rail?

The stadium design is consistent with the Mac Point Precinct Plan, which includes the Macquarie Point Northern Access Road.

This links to the existing Northern Transit Corridor and Tasman Highway. It will support access to the port, event-day bus services and leaves open options for priority passenger transport modes into the future.

Heritage and visual impacts

Has the impact on the Cenotaph been considered?

Yes. As you will see in the submission, the design has carefully considered opportunities to create view lines and connections from within the stadium and spaces around the precinct.

The use of transparent materials on the dome structure, the position of the stadium on the site, the low profile of the building, and the careful location of open areas in the design have all been carefully undertaken to create opportunities to highlight and create visual connections to and from the Cenotaph.

Have you considered removing the roof to reduce the height?

The roof is an important part of the design of the stadium. It provides a unique, all-weather venue as well as important operational functions such as providing support to mount lighting.

Removing the enclosed part of the roof would require:

Changes to the annulus, the solid part of the roof, to provide weather protection to the seating bowl, including a likely increase in height.
The inclusion of large light towers that would introduce additional light and visual impacts, as well as costs.

Environmental

Have impacts such as noise been considered?

Yes. The Submission sets out a range of environmental considerations including noise, light, coastal inundation, stormwater, groundwater, natural values, climate change considerations.