James Gardner-Hopkins

Partner

Practice Area:

Specialisations:

James' experience includes advising on development projects, district and regional planning matters for a wide range of clients and local government process and procedure. He has represented clients in environmental litigation at Council, in the Environment Court and in the Higher Appellate Courts.

James is also experienced at local and central Government lobbying, and has appeared on behalf of clients at Select Committee hearings.

• Strategy and response to specific issues in respect of the Auckland Rail upgrade and double tracking project (DART), Auckland Electrification, the Wellington Rail upgrade project (WRRP), the proposed Marsden Rail Line, CBD Rail Loop and Alternate Waitemata Harbour Crossing project.
• Successfully consenting “Project Hobson”, Watercare's replacement sewer tunnel in Hobson Bay.
• Westfield's Albany shopping centre developments.
• Achieving protection for airlines at various airports around New Zealand from reverse sensitivity effects.
• The resource management and Maori legal due diligence for a major forestry due diligence, for Hancock.
• The "Wairau Pak 'N Save" and "Discount Brands" judicial review cases, being successful challenges (including in the case of Discount Brands on appeal to the Supreme Court) to non-notified grants of consent.
• Obtaining successful declarations in the High Court as to the continuing existence of rating exemptions, conferred through various historical enactments.
• The successful retrospective consenting of an illegal reclamation on Waiheke Island.
• Securing emergency works consents following a major wash-out of rail infrastructure in Matata.
• Consenting the Frankton "Lake Edge" residential apartment development, Queenstown.
• Providing advice on proposed legislation, including the most recent round of proposed amendments to the Resource Management Act 1991.