Environment, Planning and Natural Resources

Our experience includes advising:

• Stevenson Group and Goodman Properties on the development of the Drury South Precinct (a major greenfield development including 45 ha of residential land, 145 ha of industrial land and 90 ha of public open space).
• A range of clients on Auckland's Proposed Unitary Plan, the biggest urban planning exercise in New Zealand's history.
• Woodward Infrastructure Ltd in securing the resource consents for the proposed SkyPath project – a walking and cycling pathway across the Auckland Harbour Bridge.
• Precinct Properties on obtaining a range of statutory approvals for the purchase and subsequent redevelopment of Queen Elizabeth Square in downtown Auckland for international retail and food and beverage activities. 
• SkyCity in obtaining consent for New Zealand International Convention Centre, a significant development in Auckland's CBD, on a non-notified basis.
• Auckland International Airport on environmental issues arising from its proposed second runway and associated facilities, and on the successful rezoning of rural land to the north of the Airport for business activities.
• Progressive Enterprises on the consenting of Vinegar Lane, for a mixed-use development planned around ‘collective individuality', enabling purchasers to design buildings after consent was obtained.
• Scentre in its successful resource consents and plan change applications for the expansion of its developments in Newmarket, Albany, and St Lukes, in Auckland, and Riccarton in Christchurch.
• A range of clients, including substantive Council-Controlled Organisations and significant infrastructure providers, on the major reorganisation of Auckland's local governance, including submissions to the Royal Commission and drafting necessary legislation and Orders in Council. 

Our experience includes advising:

• Watercare in obtaining all necessary approvals for the $800m Central Interceptor project, and protecting the routes for the Northern Interceptor and North Harbour No.2 Watermain, three major water and wastewater infrastructure projects required to service the anticipated growth of Auckland.
• Trustpower in respect of the Lake Coleridge Project, including securing a variation to the Rakaia River National Water Conservation Order, and in securing the resource consents for the Wairau Hydroelectric Power Scheme.
• Advising Fonterra on planning issues across the country, including on changes to water quality and nutrient management policy documents and planning rules and in relation to Government policy reform.
• Rangitata Diversion Race Management on water supply agreements, water swap agreements, and access to its infrastructure by an additional irrigation company.
• Lion/Wither Hills in relation to the grant by Lion/Wither Hills of certain water rights to neighbouring vineyards in Marlborough.
• Fonterra, Dairy NZ, Irrigation NZ, Horticulture NZ and Federated Farmers on the proposed development of the Ruataniwha Water Storage Scheme in Hawke's Bay.

Our experience includes:

• Developing submissions to the Government on the introduction of the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme (NZ ETS).
• Assisting clients in engaging with officials and MPs during the legislative process around the NZ ETS introduction.
• Advising on the implications for business following the introduction of new legislation.
• Advising on compliance with the legislation.
• Drafting and amending contracts and prospectuses involving emissions trading.
• Working with clients in relation to Commerce Commission scrutiny in the climate change area, and specifically in relation to carbon reduction or neutrality claims, and “greenwashing” advertising representations.

Energy

Our experience includes advising:

• Trustpower on its liquidation and demerger into two separate NZX and ASX listed companies so as to separate its hydro generation and retail base from its wind farm assets.
• One of Australasia’s largest energy companies on its divestment of seven oil fields to companies listed in Canada and the UK.
• Chevron on the establishment of its upstream operations in New Zealand.
• Transpower (owner/operator of New Zealand’s national grid) on its facilities management arrangements.
• Vector on the ongoing operation and development of Auckland’s retail electricity and gas networks. 
• Origin Energy on oil and gas contractual arrangements including processing agreements, pipeline access arrangements, drilling and option arrangements, and royalty sharing agreements, as well as on regulatory issues and the divestment of the TAWN assets.
• Meridian Energy on the upgrade of its generation control system and associated hardware and software and the development of its solar power plant in Mendota, California.
• Genesis Energy on the ongoing operation of its Huntly coal-fired power station. 
   

• A geothermal operator in successfully obtaining district and regional resource consents to enable it to construct and operate a new geothermal power station on the Wairakei field.
• Iwi groups in relation to the consenting of the Tauhura II geothermal project. 
   

• Trustpower in successfully obtaining resource consents to construct and operate a new hydro scheme in the Wairau Valley
• Trustpower in securing a variation to the Rakaia River Water Conservation Order to enable the Lake Coleridge project, a combined hydro-electric and irrigation project, based on the Coleridge Hydroelectric Power Station.  

• Meridian Energy on the development of solar and wind generation projects in California, Australia, New Zealand and Tonga.
• Trustpower in securing resource consents for the Kaiwera Downs wind farm. 
   

• Mobil on the restructure of its New Zealand operations.
• Mobil on its Foodstuffs fuel dockets and bulk fuel supply contract.
• Origin Energy in protecting its oil and gas production assets in the Taranaki Bight from the potential impacts of iron sand mining proposals.

Our experience includes advising:

• Ports of Auckland and Auckland International Airport on a range of development projects and on coastal planning documents, including the New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement and the Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan.
• Waterfront Auckland (now Panuku Development Auckland) on rezoning the former industrial land on Auckland's waterfront to enable urban regeneration, and obtaining consent for a number of civic projects including the Marine Event Centre, the lifting bridge connecting the area to the CBD, and public space upgrades.
• The New Zealand King Salmon Company on its proposal (of national significance) for nine new salmon farms in the Malborough Sounds.
• Aquaculture New Zealand on the regulatory framework and legislative amendments applying to existing and future marine farming activities. 
• Bayswater Marina Holdings on the development of the Bayswater and Hobsonville Marinas, including providing advice on the Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan provisions applying to these sites. 
• The Weiti Development Limited Partnership on the development of the coastal 860 ha Weiti Precinct for residential uses