Resource Management & Environmental Law

Our specialist team in Resource Management and Environmental Law has a national reputation for achieving outstanding results.


We’ve been involved in a wide range of complex environmental law projects throughout New Zealand. These projects span all sectors - including forestry, agriculture, aquaculture, mineral extraction, landfills and more.

We have a proven track record of advising New Zealand’s largest Regional Council, as well as numerous other regional and territorial authorities. Our expertise is also sought by land-owners and developers, both local and offshore.

If you have a project that would benefit from our expertise, please get in touch with one of our team below.
  • Wilson v Selwyn District Council [2005] NZRMA 76 (High Court) Landmark case on "receiving environment".
  • Huia Resorts Limited v Ashburton District Council, CA 29/05, Anderson P, McGrath J, O'Regan J - Successful opposition to application for leave to appeal on road stopping.
  • Hampton v Hampton [2009] NZRMA 411 (HC), representing a landowner to prevent the irrigation water allocated to his land being transferred away from his land.
  • Re Mackenzie Irrigation Co Ltd HC Wellington CIV-2005-485-2192, representing the Canterbury Regional Council in the leading case on non-derogation from grant of resource consents.
  • Transwaste Canterbury Ltd v Canterbury Regional Council ENV Christchurch C87/2004, defending Canterbury Regional Council's decision to grant resource consents for the Kate Valley Landfill.
  • Francks v Canterbury Regional Council [2005] NZRMA 97 (HC), defending Canterbury Regional Council decisions on coastal hazards issues under the regional plan.
  • Canterbury Regional Council v Lyttleton Marina Ltd [1999] NZRMA 330 (HC) and Lyttleton Port Company Ltd v Canterbury Regional Council [2002] NZRMA 102 (HC), obtaining a declaration regarding the nature of coastal premits, and defending an appeal against decisions on water and coastal permits in the port area.
  • Canterbury Regional Council v Doug Hood Ltd and Hollinghum (1998) 4 ELRNZ 395, successfully prosecuting the company which built the Opuha Dam, after the failure of the dam caused widespread damage and contamination.
  • Thacker v Christchurch City Council [2010] NZEnvC 246
  • Hampton v Hampton [2010] NZRMA 412
  • Canterbury Fields Management Limited v Waimakariri District Council [2011] NZEnvC 199
  • Acting as counsel in White v Christchurch City Council ENC Christchurch C079/07, 15 June 2007, successfully obtaining a rehearing of an appeal.
  • Successfully acting as counsel in Crouchley v Ashburton District Council ENC Christchurch C061/08, 21 May 2008, overturning a decision of the Ashburton District Council who declined consent for a rural subdivision.
  • Acting as counsel in Johns Road Horticulture Ltd v Christchurch City Council [2011] NZEnvC 185, a case regarding the rezoning of land in Belfast.
  • West Coast Regional Council v Marsh DC Christchurch CRI-2010-018-000695, 15 June 2011
  • Canterbury Regional Council v Christchurch City Council ENC Christchurch C134/08, 5 December 2008
  • Briggs v Christchurch City Council ENC Christchurch C113/08, 11 September 2008
  • Frater v Christchurch City Council ENC Christchurch C124/06, 20 September 2006
  • Briggs v Christchurch City Council ENC Christchurch C045/08, 24 April 2008
  • Canterbury Regional Council v Takamatua West Ltd DC Christchurch CRI-2007-009-4858, 4 April 2008
  • Providing advice on, and securing, the ability to carry out work related to the demolition of buildings following the Canterbury earthquakes, and associated negotiations with various authorities.
  • Advising a local authority on consultation and other local government requirements for inclusion, at short notice, of remedial works in its Annual Plan and liaison with Office of the Auditor-General.
  • Obtaining consents for mineral extraction, quarrying and clean-filling activities at various locations in the South Island; and advising on ongoing resource management issues.
  • Submissions and representation on District Plan review, including the proposed Ashburton District Plan.
  • Commissioner appointed by local authority to make notification, and substantive, decision on 60 lot subdivision.
  • Successful opposition to a resource consent application for a National Conservatorium of Music at the Arts Centre.
  • Advice on the implications of the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Act 2011 and Recovery Plans developed under that Act.
  • Acting for Canterbury Regional Council in appeals on the air quality chapter of the Natural Resources Regional Plan and subsequent variations which included the introduction of rules placing restrictions on domestic burning in Christchurch.
  • Acting for Canterbury Regional Council in a large number of plan changes and variations to district plans in the Greater Christchurch area. These have included various residential and rural residential subdivisions and development, the development of a new Styx town centre at Belfast, the development of a golf resort in the lower Styx area and a proposal by AMI to have its headquarters at Clearwater.
  • Acting for Canterbury Regional Council in appeals on Proposed Change No. 1 to the Canterbury Regional Policy Statement ("Change 1") in collaboration with Christchurch City Council, Waimakariri District Council, Selwyn District Council and the New Zealand Transport Agency. Change 1 provides direction for the growth, development and enhancement of the urban and rural areas of Greater Christchurch.
  • Obtaining resource consents for a large-scale corporate dairy farmer to take and store water from the Pareora River, together with numerous land use consents for intake structures and the storage dam.
  • Obtaining resource consents for the development of a hunting lodge, chalets and a hydro power generation facility on a Marlborough high country station.
  • A successful appeal to the Environment Court for subdivision of land in the Ashburton District, in circumstances where the subdivision was classified as a non-complying activity.
  • Acting for corporate farmers and Directors being prosecuted for unlawfully taking groundwater.
  • Obtaining resource consents to a concrete batching plant in Timaru.
  • Resource consent appeals on irrigation schemes and hydrogeneration.
  • Resource consent appeals on marine farming applications.
  • Resource consent appeals on a cellphone tower applications.
  • Resource consent appeals on port company operations.
  • Plan change and resource consent appeals involving airport noise issues.
  • Plan change appeals on rezoning land from rural to residential and rural/residential.
  • Resource consent appeals on subdivision of land.
  • Financial contribution and development contribution issues.
  • Resource consent appeals involving heritage buildings, including the Christchurch Arts Centre.
  • Formulation, drafting and testing environmental plans.