People

Lauren Semple was part of the project team assembled by the Ministry of Economic Development (now MBIE) to facilitate the construction of the temporary stadium.  The Government announced an ambitious timeframe for completion of the project and Lauren’s role was to obtain all required consents for the stadium so that construction could commence at the start of 2012.
 
With new legislation to navigate, Lauren’s role included providing advice on the legal strategy and leading the planning team to enable the stadium to obtain consents within an extremely tight timeframe.

Greenwood Roche advised the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority on anchor projects to assist with the recovery, including the health precinct, the south frame and the east frame.
 
Otakaro was established in April 2016 to take over some of the functions of the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority, and Greenwood Roche continues to advise on various rebuild projects.  We have assisted Otakaro with the development and associated property matters relating to the north, south and east frames, Margaret Mahy playground, the CTV memorial site, Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre, the Farmers’ Market and Rauora Park.

The proposal approved by the Minister amends the Christchurch District Plan through section 71 of the Greater Christchurch Regeneration Act 2016 (GCR Act). The approved proposal incorporates the current resource consent conditions into the Plan and amends certain aspects of those conditions, including:

• Amending the current condition to increase the four, retractable light towers to allow six permanent light towers to meet international broadcast standards.
• Allow more lenient pack in and out timeframes for temporary facilities associated with hosting cricket matches to improve health and safety and limit damage to the Oval grounds.
• Increasing the number of fixtures allowed per season, including an allowance for hosting International Cricket Council events on years that they occur.

These changes will mean that Hagley Oval will be able to host day-night matches that are now required by top-tier teams, allowing Hagley Oval to be more competitive when bidding for games compared to its rival cricket grounds.  With the Women’s Cricket World Cup approaching in 2021, the changes will allow Christchurch City to bid for and host games in this tournament. 

Through the public participation stage of the process, 1,253 written comments were received, of which 83 percent were in favour of the proposal. The Minister’s decision can be viewed at the following link:

https://dpmc.govt.nz/sites/default/files/2019-12/Hagley Oval - Section 71 Proposal - Signed Decision Paper_1.pdf

The new development will replace the original structures that were built in the 1950’s, with four new fit-for-purpose buildings that will provide long-stay accommodation for up to 218 social housing tenants.
 
Twenty of the units are to be reserved to accommodate residents receiving support through the Housing First programme. This is a government-led programme to house and support people who have been homeless for a long time, or are homeless and face multiple and complex issues. The development will also include a community space, a residents support space and on-site staff.
 
This re-development comes as part of a nationwide $5.6 billon build programme being undertaken by Kāinga Ora to address the housing shortages across New Zealand, but particularly in the biggest urban centres where those shortages are most acute.

Greenwood Roche's team on this project was led by Lauren Semple and Rachel Murdoch.

Greenwood Roche has successfully assisted the Ministry of Health in obtaining consent for the Burwood hospital redevelopment and a designation for the new Acute Services Building at Christchurch Hospital. The designation has been progressed utilising the provisions of the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Act and has required a very thorough and careful assessment of the tests within that Act. 

The hospital project is the third significant development project within Christchurch City that Greenwood Roche has successfully accelerated via the provisions of the Recovery Act. 

Greenwood Roche advised the Ministry of Justice regarding the resource management aspects of the Christchurch Justice and Emergency Precinct.  This project is one of a number of anchor projects we are involved in.

A team from Greenwood Roche is assisting the Ministry of Health on the development of the hospital. We have acted on the alterations to the Dunedin City Plan to facilitate the hospital, the development of the site masterplan, the acquisition of the required land, the payment of compensation to affected landowners and tenants, and on the consents required for the hospital.

We acted for the joint venture developer on obtaining the necessary consents for this major project.

Lauren Semple and Rachel Murdoch advised Regenerate Christchurch on the use of the Greater Christchurch Regeneration Act 2016 to facilitate the rezoning of the new school site for that purpose, and the rezoning of the former site as a reserve. 

This area is significant in many ways for Christchurch/Otautahi.  It has been and continues to be an area comprising sites and geographical features of cultural importance to Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu and Te Ngāi Tūāhuriri Rūnanga.  The area also comprises various other sites of historical significance to Christchurch/Ōtautahi and is traversed by the Ōtākaro Avon River which is itself a key feature of the city’s identity and urban framework. In developing this Plan Regenerate Christchurch has therefore sought to acknowledge the significance of this area to the wider Christchurch/Ōtautahi community, as well as working with the environmental constraints and opportunities that it provides.  
 
The process has taken time and has not been without its challenges – the size and geographical constraints of the area, the various interests and feedback from stakeholders, community groups and members of the public, and the uncertainties particularly around future implementation have all been matters to carefully consider and address.  The Plan’s vision and objectives and the accompanying framework for the Area are broad.  While they have strong focus areas (including ecology, recreation, economic opportunity and community connection), they also seek to recognise that the regeneration of this Area will take time, and that new ideas, new technology and new activities which are not currently contemplated should be allowed to take place.  The vision and objectives therefore operate as a touchstone against which future decisions can be made – ensuring a clear aspiration for the area while still allowing flexibility to adjust to a changing future. 
 
The approval of the Plan by the Minister (and the Ombudsman’s recent finding as to its legal and evidential rigour) is a significant endorsement of the work done by the Regenerate Christchurch team on this project.   Greenwood Roche lawyers, Lauren Semple and Rachel Murdoch have been privileged to advise Regenerate Christchurch on the development of this Plan, the exercise of its powers under the Act in respect of this and other projects, and its general regeneration mandate.  It is extremely satisfying to see the Plan become operative and attention now turn to its implementation.

The enabling works comprise excavation and removal of existing building slabs, earthworks and dewatering, and piling required for the foundations of the hospital buildings.  These works will be underway shortly, with the first piles due to be installed by mid-May.  The $1.4 billion new Dunedin Hospital will support the SDHB’s continued provision of high quality health services throughout the lower South Island, and will be a key urban landmark for Dunedin, testament to the city’s long-standing role in health provision and health education.
 
Lauren Semple, Rachel Murdoch and William Hulme-Moir have been advising the Ministry on all consenting matters relating to the new Dunedin Hospital including applying for and obtaining Ministerial approval to utilise the COVID-19 Recovery (Fast-track Consenting) Act 2020.  The new Dunedin Hospital is one of two recent projects that the team have successfully consented via this fast track route.  Subsequent stages of the Dunedin hospital project will consent the above ground works for the new Inpatient, Outpatient and Logistics buildings.
 
The obtaining of resource consent has progressed in parallel with the acquisition of property rights for the development. Julian Smith led our team advising the Ministry on those property rights.

Resource consent for the stage 1 foundation works was granted on 23 December 2021, and the granting of this subsequent consent will enable the establishment of the new Outpatient building, the first of the two new clinical buildings that will comprise the New Dunedin Hospital.

Housing a range of consultation and treatment spaces, day surgery facilities, and procedure and diagnostic services, works on the Outpatient building are anticipated to commence in early October 2022.  Utilising the fast track consenting legislation has enabled the development to stay on track despite the challenges of the last two years.

A team from Greenwood Roche, led by Lauren Semple and Julian Smith, are advising on all consenting and property matters relating to the New Dunedin Hospital.