Katherine is an experienced planning and environment specialist.  She has had significant involvement in the development of policy and planning documents, and enjoys working with project applicants.

Katherine has represented clients before local councils, independent hearings panels, boards of inquiry, the Environment Court and the High Court. She undertakes advisory work in the context of broader project work and the day to day operations of her clients.

Her clients include local developers, district and regional councils, central government and infrastructure providers. 

Katherine has a collaborative and collegial working style that enables her to quickly understand what her clients want to achieve, and to deliver results in an efficient and effective manner.

Katherine is a member of the Resource Management Law Association.

Work Highlights

Infrastructure

Advising and representing various infrastructure clients (including NZ Transport Agency, Transpower and local authorities) in relation to all aspects of the environmental approvals required for infrastructure development, and other environmental regulatory requirements relating to the development, operation, and maintenance of infrastructure assets.  Recently her work in this area has had a strong focus on three waters infrastructure.

Project applicant work

Assisting project applicants through the resource consent process and with private plan changes.

District Plan reviews

Representing Christchurch City Council and Queenstown Lakes District Council in their district plan review processes, and advising Porirua City Council in relation to its proposed District Plan.

Regional policy statements and plan

Advising and representing local authorities and submitters in various regional planning processes.  This area of her work has had an increasing focus on freshwater management.

Legislative reform

Working with and advising the Ministry for the Environment in relation to various legislative, policy and regulatory matters relating to the legislation it is responsible for.  This has included assisted with the development of new legislation and reform (for example the fast-track consenting legislation and the freshwater planning process).

Environmental enforcement

Assisting and advising local authority and private clients in relation to enforcement proceedings under the Resource Management Act.

Due diligence

Undertaking the environmental aspects of due diligence for large M&A transactions.

Providing strategy

Consenting and day to day advice on legal issues relating to New Zealand's environmental legislation and various local, regional, and national planning documents.

Areas of Expertise

Insights & News