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Sarah Scott
BCom LLB • Christchurch
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Sarah heads the firm’s South Island Planning and Environment team. She is recognised as a leading environmental and resource management lawyer.
Sarah has an in-depth understanding of all environmental regimes with a particular focus on infrastructure, urban development, energy and strategic policy.
She works closely with both public and private sector infrastructure owners, operators and investors on obtaining approvals for nationally significant projects across three waters, ports, energy transmission and urban growth infrastructure.
Sarah also has significant experience in strategic planning and policy work, taking a lead role in various high-profile and litigious processes - working with large teams through extensive council hearing processes, to defending subsequent appeals.
Her practice covers all RMA matters including enforcement, local government law and due diligence investigations, as well as judicial reviews and regulatory work. Sarah has also given extensive advice on the current reform of the Resource Management Act.
Sarah has quickly become an expert in New Zealand’s Fast-track consenting regime since its establishment in 2024. Sarah has been involved in every step of the Fast-track process for a variety of projects (over 20), representing applicants, iwi, territorial authorities and regional councils.
Fast-track
Successfully obtaining referral into the regime for the Southern Links Inland Port
Advising and representing Southern Logistics Property Limited on its substantive application for the Southern Links Inland Port
Representing a number of property developers in Canterbury on significant housing developments, including on their referral applications.
Advising and representing Queenstown Lakes District Council in its regulatory role on all fast-track proposals in the Queenstown-Lakes District, including significant housing, infrastructure and tourism related developments.
Advising and representing Environment Canterbury in its regulatory role on a number of fast-track proposals in Canterbury, including the NZTA Belfast to Pegasus Bypass project, Solar developments, industrial, and wastewater projects.
dvising clients on use of Fast-track pathway for consenting infrastructure and urban development projects around New Zealand.
Involvement in two separate mining projects consisting of independent facilitation of planners workshops in Central Otago, and representing iwi through the Fast-track approvals process on a South Island West Coast project.
Chambers Global & Chambers Asia-Pacific 2026
Environment & Resource Management
Leading Lawyer
Asia Pacific Legal 500 2026
Projects & Resources Management
Leading Partner
Doyle's Guide 2026
Environment & Resource Management
Leading Lawyer
Work Highlights
Transpower New Zealand
Assisting Transpower in the Otago RPS hearings and appeals, the Dunedin 2GP appeals, and the Mackenzie district plan; obtaining resource consents and designations for the North Island Grid Upgrade Project and the USI Reliability Orari Project; advice to Transpower as asset owner in respect of various designations in Auckland, emergency works, the Nelson Airport runway expansion; representing Transpower as System Operator on Meridian’s direct referral to reconsent its Waitaki Hydro Scheme consents.
Port Otago
Successful referral of the Southern Links inland port into the Fast-Track regime and acting on the substantive application.
Planning processes
Acting for Queenstown Lakes District Council for over 12 years through Council hearings on its proposed plan, and then on an extensive number of Environment and High Court appeals, across a wide breadth of topics.
Acting for Christchurch City Council on fast-tracked and bespoke plan review and hearing process, and in subsequent High Court and Court of Appeal litigation.
Acting for Transpower in implementing the NPS for Electricity Transmission across a number of South Island policy processes.
Acting for Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu on resource and nutrient allocation, and freshwater issues, and appeals on Regional Policy Statements and the Te Tai o Poutini Plan.
Consenting projects
Port related and industrial activities, transmission and distribution line and substation designations and related consents, bulk storage terminals for BP, global discharge consents for Christchurch City Council, a hotel for Pegasus Golf, the Overseas Passenger Terminal on the Wellington Waterfront for Willis Bond, a commercial ‘maze’ and related water takes in Selwyn.
Acting for Environment Canterbury as consent authority in water take and use appeals, and QLDC in respect of appeals relating to rural living development, visitor accommodation, Skydive Queenstown’s direct referral for Queenstown Lakes.
Roading, stormwater, and airport litigation
Public Works Act acquisition for land required for storm water detention and the Northern Arterial, including related High Court negligence, nuisance and contract claims, and issues relating to the growth of both Christchurch and Queenstown airports.
