Urban Intensification Variation

David Allen (Chair)

Expertise

Environment and resource management, local government and infrastructure development.

Experience

Decision-making

• Chair of the hearings panel for Porirua City Council's Plan Change 18: Plimmerton Farm, which followed a Streamlined Planning Process to rezone 384ha for urban development (housing and commercial). The decision can be found at PC18 Final Report and Recommendations (storage.googleapis.com).

• Chair of the hearings panel for Lower Hutt City Council's Plan Change 43 to enable greater urban intensification across the general residential zone, new suburban mixed use activity zones and new medium density residential activity areas.

• Chair of hearings panels for tree and tree group plan changes in Upper Hutt City and for a consent for a brothel in the residential zone of Lower Hutt City.

• Presenter of the Ministry for the Environment's 'Making Good Decisions' programme required for all resource management decision-makers.

• Previously legal counsel assisting the Ruakura Development Plan Change Board of Inquiry (on a private plan change for an integrated inland port development of 389ha in Hamilton City), the Tukituki

Catchment Proposal Board of Inquiry (a water quality and quantity based plan change, designation and consents related to farm intensification and irrigation) and the New Zealand King Salmon Board of Inquiry (including appearing in the Supreme Court appeals) relating to a private plan change and consents for salmon farms in the Marlborough Sounds.

Previously legal counsel assisting numerous Boards of Inquiry and Decision-Making Committees on applications for marine consents under the Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects) Act 2012.

Planning and consenting

• Advising Christchurch City Council as part of the Buddle Findlay team on its Intensification Streamlined Planning Process.

• Advising both Genesis Energy and Contact Energy on numerous policy statement and plan change processes around the country.

• Advised the Crown on its All of Government submission (on behalf of 22 government departments and agencies) on the proposed Christchurch Replacement District Plan, including the designation and roading chapters and on the key infrastructure projects.

• Advised the Maungaharuru-Tangitū Trust on its Environment Court appeal on the Proposed Hastings District Plan in relation to sites of cultural significance and outstanding landscapes.

• Advising Let's Get Wellington Moving and its partners, Wellington City Council, Greater Wellington Regional Council and Waka Kotahi on the designating and consenting, local government and associated matters for its $7.4b investment programme.

• Advised Greater Wellington Regional Council (flood protection and public transport), Hutt City Council (urban renewal of its CBD following the increased flood protection) and Waka Kotahi NZ Transport

Agency (a new Melling interchange and bridge over the Hutt River) and KiwiRail (relocated rail assets) on the successful Environment Court direct referral process for the $700m plus RiverLink project. This significant climate adaptation project for the city and region. The RiverLink project won the NZPI Best Practice Award for integrated planning and investigations at the 2023 NZPI awards.

• Advising Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency on the $1.5b Ōtaki to North of Levin project and the $300m plus Mt Messenger (SH3) bypass project.

• Advised Contact Energy on its $700m plus Geofuture project for geothermal electricity generation in the Wairakei field which was successfully consented in 2022, having previously advised Contact on numerous thermal, wind, geothermal and hydroelectric power schemes.

• Advising Genesis Energy on the present reconsenting of its Tekapo A and B hydroelectric power stations.

• Advising Horowhenua District Council, Wellington Water Limited, Central Hawkes Bay District Council, Tararua District Council, Whakatane District Council and Tauranga City Council on numerous wastewater and water projects including many Environment Court hearings.

• Advising Horowhenua District Council on numerous subdivision and land development matters and disputes, bylaws and various codes of practice.

• Advised CentrePort on the COVID Fasttrack consenting process by KiwiRail for the new Kaiwharawhara Ferry Terminal in Wellington Harbour with construction commencing this year.

• Advised Lower Hutt City Council on its 4.4km and $30m Eastern Bays shared use path and seawall (Tupua Horo Nuku) with construction commencing in 2022.

Affiliations and memberships

• Member of the Resource Management Law Association (RMLA)

• Associate member of the New Zealand Planning Institute (NZPI)

Qualifications

• LLB, BSc, MEnvi.Stud. (Victoria University of Wellington)

• Admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor in New Zealand 1999

• Accredited RMA Hearings Chairperson

Ian Munro

Ian is a senior urban planner and urban designer who has had the opportunity to work across New Zealand including in all of the major centers and many of the provincial centers.

He has made or contributed to over 500 decisions on consent and plan change applications since 2007 for Auckland Council, Thames Coromandel District Council, Waikato District Council, Hutt City Council, Porirua City Council, Christchurch City Council and Queenstown Lakes District Council.

Specifically in Queenstown Lakes District, Ian has been a decision maker since 2007 including Resource Consents, Private Plan Changes, the Council's PDP, and more recently the Ladies Mile SPP procedure and the COVID-19 Recovery Act (Fast Track consents).

He is familiar with the National Policy Statement on Urban Development and what it means for Councils, including by way of being a Commissioner on Christchurch City Council's PC14 process.

Deputy Mayor Lyal Cocks

Lyal has lived in Wanaka for 26 years and was a QLDC Councillor for nine years from 2007 to 2016.  During that time, he was an RMA commissioner and sat on many Resource Consent and Plan Change hearings, such as Northlake and Hanleys Farm. 

After six years off Council, Lyal stood successfully for Council again in 2023 and has re-qualified as an RMA commissioner.  He has extensive knowledge of the district and the challenges we face to continue being a great place to live and visit, and a significant contributor to New Zealand's economy.