John is a partner focusing on environment, planning & resource management law.
John advises clients on developments and subdivisions of residential, commercial and industrial properties; utility network development, including obtaining requiring authority status, designations, compensation and land acquisition; project development issues; and coastal issues, including marine pollution. John represents clients before the Environment Court and High Court of New Zealand on a range of matters including environmental law reform issues; major project consents; plan references; and enforcement matters. He regularly advises both government and private sector clients on national policy statements relating to the use of natural resources.
Before joining Chapman Tripp in 1991, John was principal legal adviser with the Ministry for the Environment’s Resource Management Law Reform project. His reputation in this area continues, with John frequently being called on as a commentator on Resource Management Act (RMA) law reform matters.
Recent experience
John has advised:
the NZ Transport Agency and the former Transit New Zealand in relation to various roading projects including SH2 Dowse – Petone, the Transmission Gully project and Wellington’s Inner City Bypass
Christchurch City Council in the Environment Court and High Court on appeals against the Council’s Variation 86 on retail distribution
Ministry for the Environment in the drafting of the proposed National Policy Statement for Fresh Water Management
Telecom in the rollout of its WCDMA 3G mobile network
Housing New Zealand Corporation on resource management aspects of affordable housing, and
advising a range of infrastructure and industrial clients on contaminated sites clean up obligations, due diligence and other matters.