Local Government, Resource Management & Regulatory

Navigating planning and environmental policy during a period of reform takes more than knowledge – it takes insight. Our specialist lawyers, all members of the Resource Management Law Association (RMLA), bring the latest legal knowledge to every project. We help local authorities through plan making processes including reviews, changes and implementing National Environmental Standards, while also supporting developers and other clients through strategic planning processes. With deep experience in regulatory compliance and enforcement, our team ensures planning documents are clear, robust and fit for purpose. We also advise on climate-related matters including managed retreat and flood management.

We advise clients on resource consenting, subdivision and other processes such as approvals under the Fast-track Approvals Act. Our team helps local authorities monitor and enforce compliance, and make sure their planning frameworks operate effectively. We also guide developers, businesses, community groups and individuals through resource consent processes.  We regularly appear in council hearings, the Environment Court and higher courts on these issues.

We advise local authorities on the full range of compliance and enforcement tools – and we support private clients who find themselves facing enforcement action. Our team regularly leads enforcement proceedings and prosecutions for a number of local authorities under legislation including the Resource Management Act, Building Act, Local Government Act, Dog Control Act, Maritime Transport Act and bylaws. With experienced litigators at your side, we provide principled and effective advocacy in this complex area.

Local councils manage ratepayers’ money and need to get the best value from every transaction. We provide specialist legal advice on all property and commercial dealings, supporting councils with acquisitions, sales, leases and the negotiation and management of commercial contracts. Our team ensures every deal complies with legislation, manages risk, and delivers commercially effective outcomes that serve the community’s best interests.

We have been a trusted legal partner to local government since long before the Resource Management Act existed. Today, we act for councils across Aotearoa on Local Government Act processes, including Long Term and Annual Plans, governance, decision-making, LGOIMA requests, and more. We help clients navigate complex legal issues, including those arising from climate change, natural disasters, and iwi/Māori resource management matters such as applications under the Marine and Coastal (Takutai Moana) Area Act.

Building new infrastructure is never simple. We support local authorities to build public assets – roads, bridges, water and wastewater networks – guiding them through planning, consent, designation, financing, commercial contracts, project management, health and safety, and more. Drawing on our deep knowledge of the Resource Management Act, Public Works Act, and new water services legislation, we help councils move projects forward confidently in a complex legal environment. We also regularly advise on infrastructure funding, including development contributions and financial contributions.

Public works and new reserves deliver lasting benefits to our communities, but the legal requirements under the Public Works Act and Reserves Act can be a challenge. We support local authorities with acquisitions, offer-back obligations, road stopping, and reserve classifications, while providing strategic planning and community engagement advice to ensure projects deliver maximum value and comply with the law. We also regularly help affected landowners to navigate these complex issues.