Everything we do requires land, air, or water. The need to manage those resources is a result of competition for access to resources. To succeed in that environment requires not just an understanding of the resources themselves, but also the nature of the competition. What is it that you need to be successful? Any successful strategy begins with identifying your goal and understanding how to get there, first.
There are three solicitors practising in our Resource Management Team. Phil Page and Bridget Irving are based in Dunedin with Jan Caunter based in Wanaka. The team has a combined experience of well over 50 years. This enables us to use each other’s experience to design a strategy that best suits our clients. The range of experience in the team means we can efficiently tailor our service to meet our client’s needs
Our experience covers a wide range of resource management issues, including:
- Subdivision and land development.
- Large scale infrastructure projects including power generation, solid waste disposal, waste water treatment and water supply projects.
- Development and Financial contributions.
- Plan Changes.
- Judicial review.
- Irrigation.
- Dairy conversions and effluent management.
- Prosecution and enforcement.
- Succession planning for farming businesses.
- Tenure review.
- Submissions on new Bills of Parliament before Select Committee.
- Submissions on National Policy Statements and National Environmental Standards.
- Obtaining concessions for activities in conservation areas under Part 3B of the Conservation Act 1987.
Our traditional area of practice stretches through the entire lower South Island. We understand that environmental issues vary from district to district and region to region. One of our team, Jan Caunter, is a former partner of an Auckland firm and continues to work in Auckland, Waikato and other North Island centres on a regular basis. By being based in Dunedin and Wanaka, we find that our cost structure allows us to serve even our more northern clients more cost-effectively than big city firms, even taking travel into account. Doing business in the south makes good economic sense.
Our team has experience handling cases at local council, Environment Court and through to the Court of Appeal. While we are confident in these forums we also appreciate that litigation might not be the best approach in all cases. Risk analysis is central to good strategic decisions. We often employ a range of alternative dispute resolution to resolve an issue without the risks and costs associated with litigation.
Projects we have been involved with recently include:
- Midwest Disposal Limited’s resource consent applications to extend the Bonny Glen regional landfill facility near Palmerston North.
- Plan changes related to the development of Wynyard Quarter on Auckland’s waterfront and associated effects on the bulk liquid industry.
- The development of a proposed entertainment facility near Wanaka Airport.
- Plan changes promoting the subdivision of rural areas at the foot of the Waitakere Ranges in Auckland.
- Representing the owner of a thoroughbred stud in the Waikato region opposed to the establishment of a quarry next door.
- Representing Wanaka residents affected by the proposed development of Stoney Creek Retirement Village.
- Resource consent applications to authorise gravel extraction from the Cardrona River and associated processing and transportation activities.
- Representing industry opposed to the extension of the Quail Rise zone at Frankton in Queenstown.
- Representing Frankton residents in appeals concerning the proposed further development of Queenstown Airport.
- Establishing a zone for commercial activities at Dunedin International Airport.
- Consenting the Dunedin City Council’s “Wall Street” retail project.
- Consenting major new quarry facilities for a major trans-tasman infrastructure company in Central Otago and Canterbury.
- Consenting greenfields residential developments within outstanding natural landscapes in the Wakatipu Bason, Cardrona Valley, and West Wanaka.
- Consenting new residential development using cutting edge green design and services technology at Wanaka.
- Successfully defending an appeal by the Otago Regional Council for a residential development within the Waikouaiti flood plain, Dunedin.
- Representing industry clients opposed to the Dunedin City Council’s Harbourside plan change.
- Representing a Te Anau tourism operator relating to concessions in the Fiordland National Park.
- Negotiating the settlement of appeals against Wanaka’s “Project Pure” effluent disposal system.
- Obtaining a designation for a new wastewater system at Clyde.
- Successfully defending a surveying firm against prosecutions from a Regional Council for ground water takes.
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