The federal environmental agency has announced that the development of the Olympic stadium in Brisbane, located at Victoria Park, will not be classified as a “controlled action.”

David Hinchliffe, a representative of the Save Victoria Park organization, expressed that the environmental department’s ruling was anticipated.

Preparatory activities for the construction of the 63,000-seat venue are set to commence following the transfer of land to the Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority (GIICA) on June 1.

The federal environmental department has given the green light for the proposed stadium at Victoria Park as well as the National Aquatic Centre in Spring Hill, in relation to the 2032 Olympics and Paralympic Games. In a statement issued on Wednesday, the department specified that these projects will not be considered “controlled actions.”

This designation indicates that the construction of the stadium is not expected to have a major adverse effect on protected environmental matters, regardless of how the project is executed.

David Hinchliffe from Save Victoria Park emphasized that environmental concerns were secondary to their main focus. “The environmental aspect was merely a minor issue for us,” he noted. “We always anticipated this outcome.”

He further indicated that the group is concentrating its efforts on securing protections under the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act, having filed five applications under this legislation.