Contentious plans to build a cable car to the pinnacle of the rugged 1271-metre mountain overlooking Hobart have been knocked back by Tasmania's planning tribunal.
Hobart City Council in July voted against the proposal of the Mount Wellington Cableway Company, prompting the company to appeal the decision.
Members of Tasmania's Aboriginal community have previously said the project would scar the culturally significant landmark, which carries the Indigenous name kunanyi.
The appeal was on Thursday dismissed by the Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal, which found the council's rejection held firm and the project didn't meet standards relating to noise, visual impact and effects on elements of geoheritage and biodiversity.
The MWCC plan included a centre at the summit of kunanyi/Mt Wellington featuring a cafe, visitor information centre, retail area, visitor amenities, offices and a rangers' office.
It planned to run two cable cars, each carrying up to 40 passengers, via three towers.
The tribunal ruled the plan failed to meet standards of the Hobart Interim Planning Scheme and Wellington Park Management Plan.
It said the cable car would have an unreasonable impact on residential amenity outside the park and an adverse effect on quiet enjoyment of the park's natural and cultural values.
The tribunal assessed 26 grounds of refusal raised by council and found the project failed 18.
"The proposed pinnacle centre, the cableway and a tower on the escarpment above the Organ Pipes would adversely impact visual values and visual character in the park," it said.
"The construction of the pinnacle centre would impermissibly impact geoheritage values at the pinnacle.
"Removal of native vegetation for fire prevention and construction of the access road to the base station would cause the loss of breeding habitat for the swift parrot and the masked owl, and foraging habitat for the parrot, which would result in adverse effects for those threatened species."
About 72 per cent of a record 16,500 public submissions made to council were not in favour of the cable car, while thousands protested against the plan in 2018.
The MWCC had slated a 2023-24 build with operations to begin in 2024.
MWCC chair Chris Oldfield said the company would take time to consider its position on the ruling.
"We need to get advice from our legal and planning advisers on the technical detail of the tribunal's determination," he said in a statement.
"The tribunal's determination and its implications for the future of the project also need to be considered by our board and key shareholders."
- Story by Ethan James, AAP
