Sector

Infrastructure

Providing advice across the full life-cycle of an infrastructure project

The New Zealand infrastructure sector faces complex challenges. Many assets are reaching the end of their useful life, the funding available to local authorities is often constrained, and population growth is uneven across the country.

We support leading domestic and international organisations across the life-cycle of major infrastructure projects. Members of our Infrastructure team have held roles on every Public Private Partnership (PPP) project in New Zealand to date and offer extensive international experience. Plus we have expertise from advising the vendor on the first sell down of sponsor equity in a New Zealand PPP. The benefit of our combined experience means you will have access to an unmatched understanding of the opportunities, issues and potential pitfalls that arise in large infrastructure projects.

Our multi-disciplinary team helps to successfully deliver New Zealand’s most complex and innovative infrastructure projects by advising on:

  • strategic planning and structuring (including shareholder and consortia arrangements)
  • planning and consenting
  • land acquisition, tenure and access arrangements
  • procurement, risk assessment and contracting (including alliance contracts)
  • equity and debt finance (including capital markets, syndicated facilities, project finance and financing for PPPs)
  • service and supply agreements, operations and maintenance contracts
  • competition and regulatory advice
  • potential or actual disputes associated with infrastructure projects
  • health and safety compliance and enforcement issues
  • tax aspects of infrastructure projects, including ownership structures, acquisitions, disposals and financing
  • iwi consultation and investment.

We've worked across the construction, transport, health, education, utilities and irrigation sectors in New Zealand and the Pacific, including advising:

  • Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency on the procurement of design, build, finance, operation and maintenance of the Pūhoi to Warkworth section of the Ara Tūhono – Pūhoi to Wellsford motorway – we were a key member of the Pūhoi to Warkworth Road PPP Procurement Alliance True North project ($2b)
  • InfraRed Capital Partners on the sale of its 40% interest in the PPP at Auckland South Corrections Facility to the AMP Capital Community Infrastructure Fund
  • Lyttelton Port Company on two of the largest projects in New Zealand in recent times, including the capital dredging of the harbour and the construction of a 30ha reclamation
  • Queenstown Airport Corporation on the separate taxiway and general aviation precinct (19ha of additional land), and appropriate separation distance from the main runway required to enable a major expansion the airport including plans for a new international terminal
  • Southern Cross Cables on its new SXNEXT submarine cable from Australia to the United States with spurs to New Zealand, Fiji and Kiribati – our advice included construction contracts, IRUs and project financing
  • Ministry of Education on its National Transportables Programme for the procurement of portable classrooms; a major project where private sector providers are undertaking the design, construction, delivery, management and maintenance of the Ministry’s entire portfolio of relocatable modular classrooms
  • Ministry of Health's single biggest hospital build in New Zealand for the $1.5b Dunedin Hospital Redevelopment project (demolition, refurbishment and new build)
  • Ministry of Health on the $650m+ post-earthquake redevelopment (demolition, refurbishment and new build) of the Burwood and Christchurch hospitals in Christchurch, one of the most significant social infrastructure projects in New Zealand’s history
  • Solomon Islands Electricity Authority on four renewable energy projects including the proposed Tina River Hydro Development Project, which involves the development of a new 20MW hydro power plant – the Solomon Islands' first PPP; we advised on possible procurement options, briefed management and the board of directors on the legal and key risks of the project (and possible risk transfer), and drafted and commented on the project documentation
  • Queenstown Lakes District Council on a wastewater plant expansion project (design, build and operate) and a Three Waters (operate and maintain) project, both involving innovative partnering delivery models
  • Metrowater and other participants on the Alliance Agreement for the Clear Harbour Alliance, responsible for the complex upgrade and separation of Auckland’s previously combined stormwater and wastewater system
  • almost all major Canterbury irrigation schemes, including involvement with planning and water aspects of the Central Plains Scheme and the Rakaia River Irrigators Association for stored water.
  • Crown Irrigation Investments on the structuring, funding and all other legal aspects of its investments in the Central Plains Scheme, Kurow‑Duntroon irrigation scheme upgrade and Waimea Community Dam.

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