Health, Education and Social Infrastructure

New Zealand’s health, justice, education, retirement and social infrastructure projects require strategic consenting approaches, sophisticated delivery arrangements and significant co-ordination between central and local government and delivery partners.

Projects in this sector demand careful alignment of land acquisition strategies, planning approvals, procurement models and stakeholder engagement together with consideration of long-term asset funding, maintenance and operation arrangements.

Greenwood Roche regularly works on major social infrastructure projects in New Zealand, advising key clients in the public and private sector that have been tasked with planning, delivering and maintaining these essential assets. The firm has particular experience in project structuring and procurement strategies, navigating statutory frame works that enable large‑scale developments (including land acquisition and planning approvals) and drafting and negotiating high-value contracts at the design, delivery and operational phases of projects.

Greenwood Roche also regularly advises clients on disputes relating to major infrastructure projects, providing pragmatic, solutions-focused advice.

Our work in this sector

• Planning and designations
• Land acquisition and compensation
• Operational and project agreements
• Project structuring and delivery
• Dispute resolution

Experience highlights

• Advising the University of Auckland on the fast-track consenting of its new Student Centre and Library.
• Representing Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora (as plaintiff) in High Court proceedings concerning post-completion building issues at Masterton Hospital.
• Advising Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora on the land acquisition and consenting of the New Dunedin Hospital – Whakatuputupu Inpatient and Outpatient Buildings.
• Advising Generus Living on the consenting of its retirement villages in Parnell, Auckland; Merivale, Christchurch; and in Mission Bay, Auckland.
• Advising the Ministry of Health on redevelopment of Christchurch and Burwood Hospitals.
• Advising the Department of Corrections Ara Poutama Aotearoa on obtaining planning approvals for its prison capacity and community housing programmes.
• Advising the New Zealand Institute for Public Health and Forensic Science on the design, construction and delivery of its 4,000m² Kenepuru Science Facility, Wellington.
• Advising Ministry of Education on the design, construction and delivery of multiple school infrastructure projects throughout New Zealand.  
• Advising Fire and Emergency New Zealand on property matters relating to its national operational portfolio, including station re-siting following the Christchurch earthquakes.