On Wednesday the Tasmanian Planning Commission, which replaced the Resource Planning and Development Commission, released a draft decision to reject the canal estate development, prompting calls from the Wilderness Society that the pulp mill would have suffered a similar fate had it been before the commission.

A Gunns spokesman denied the claims, saying the project had been approved by State and Federal governments.

"It's been approved for construction after satisfying the most stringent environmental criteria ever imposed on any industrial development in Australia," he said.

"I don't know how you can compare the two ... (Walker Corporation's proposal) was being built in Ralphs Bay, the pulp mill is going to be built in a heavy industry estate."

But the Wilderness Society, in welcoming the Ralphs Bay draft decision, said it demonstrated the value of having an independent assessor.

"The special treatment afforded to Gunns by politicians allowed its pulp mill to proceed despite the independent assessment finding it was `critically non-compliant'," Wilderness Society spokesman Paul Oosting said.

"This should now be the end of Walker Corporation's proposal, just as the findings of the RPDC should have spelt the end of Gunns' pulp mill."

Mr Oosting paid tribute to the community group Save Ralphs Bay and said he recognised the policy positions of the Liberals and the Greens in their opposition to the development.

"It is also encouraging to see that the current Premier appears willing to abide by the decision of the planning commission and not pledge to resurrect a failed proposal," Mr Oosting said.