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Hamish Harwood
BA LLB • Wellington
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Hamish is a specialist resource management and local government lawyer.
He advises and represents clients on district and regional plan reviews and plan changes, and consent and designation applications for a range of projects, including marine consent applications for activities taking place in the EEZ.
His practice also includes a range of other strategic local government issues including judicial review, building law, local government liability, natural hazards and climate change, valuation compensation and rating disputes, roads, and customary rights applications.
Hamish has substantial experience and expertise in the Fast-track Approvals Act 2024. Hamish was a leading advocate for clients and on behalf of Simpson Grierson during the development of the Fast-tract Approvals Act through select-committee process for the original bill and the 2025 Amendment Act.
Since then, Hamish has been involved in every aspect of some of the largest and most challenging projects process through the regime. Hamish has obtained referrals, amended Schedule 2 listings, represented interested parties (including local authorities) and guided substantive applications through expert panel processes.
Hamish is a member of the Resource Management Law Association of New Zealand.
Work Highlights
Fast-track
Waihi North Project - Hamish, together with external senior counsel, successful guided OceanaGold through the Fast-track process for the Waihi North project, which was the first mining project to go through the process.
Obtaining a referral decision for the Southern Links Inland Port.
Advising and representing Beach Energy on the Taranaki VTM (seabed mining) substantive application process.
Successfully obtaining referral for Rua Gold’s Auld Creek project and representing Rua Gold through its substantive panel process.
Advising Porirua City Council on the Mt Welcome residential development (1500 lots) in the Northern Growth Area of Porirua.
Advising on aspects of large-scale coking coal projects on West Coast of the South Island.
Independent facilitation of workshops for a large greenfield gold mine in Central Otago.
Advising OceanaGold on the Macraes Phase 4 project.
Plan reviews and plan changes
Advising and representing Christchurch City Council, Kapiti Coast District Council, Queenstown Lakes District Council, Porirua City Council and New Plymouth District Council at all stages of their plan review and plan change processes.
Marine consents
Advising and representing OMV, Beach Energy Limited, BW Offshore Limited, Chatham Rock Phosphate Limited and others in relation to marine consent and discharge consent applications for various energy (both renewable and non-renewable) projects in offshore Taranaki, the Great South Basin, the Canterbury Basin and the Chatham Rise.
Judicial review
Successfully defending local authorities decisions about fluoridation of drinking water (Supreme Court), earthquake prone building policies (Court of Appeal), non-notified consent applications (Court of Appeal), rating decisions (High Court), access arrangements under the Crown Minerals Act (High Court), reserves (High Court), and issues relating to the ownership and management of council controlled companies (High Court).
Resource consents and designations
Advising and representing local authorities, infrastructure providers and private clients in relation to infrastructure and roading projects, housing and subdivisions, commercial and industrial projects and marine farms.
Local government liability
Advising local authorities on a range of liability issues, particularly in relation to natural hazards and compulsory acquisitions, including includes defending and negotiating claims for compensation under the Public Works Act, Rating Valuation Act and Local Government (Rating) Act.
Building law
Advising building consent authorities on their obligations and functions under the Building Act 2004, including issuing notices to fix, applications for Determinations from MBIE and enforcement proceedings.
Customary rights applications
Representing eight local and regional councils in relation to applications for customary rights under the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Act 2011.
Environmental enforcement
Prosecuting and defending criminal charges under the Resource Management Act 1991, the Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects) Act 2011, the Building Act 2004, and the Crown Minerals Act 1993.
Due diligence
Advising on the environmental and regulatory aspects of business and other land assets.
