The Tasmanian Planning Commission has advised against building a stadium at Hobart’s Macquarie Point in a major blow to the Tasmania Devils’ bid to join the AFL.

The panel used blunt language in delivering its recommendation in a report released on Wednesday.

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

The panel wrote that “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 AFL has not budged on its position that the stadium is essential to the Devils’ AFL and AFLW teams being admitted to the competition in 2028; the granting of the AFL licence is conditional on the stadium’s approval.

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