Irrigation

Overview

Buddle Findlay has deep and broad experience in the irrigation sector having advised on a number of irrigation schemes at various stages of development. Our clients in relation to these schemes have included the scheme operators themselves, irrigators, key stakeholders, bankers and investors.

Our experience covers:

Commercial, structuring and corporate finance
Resource management
Banking
Governance
Property
Construction and construction related disputes.

We have a strong working relationship with key investors in the sector including most major banks and local government bodies. In addition, we frequently provide supporting or specialist advice to local legal advisers or in-house counsel in relation to irrigation schemes, leveraging the institutional knowledge that these advisers have and allowing for the provision of legal services more efficiently and inexpensively.

We also have extensive experience advising various schemes (such as Opuha Water, Central Plains Water, Mayfield-Hinds Irrigation), industry groups (Irrigation NZ, Federated Farmers of NZ), water user groups (Dunsandal Groundwater Users Group, Kyeburn Water Users Group) and other industries that rely on water (Fulton Hogan and Canterbury Aggregate Producers Group) on planning, policy and consenting related matters.

Experience

Sector/Expertise

Work highlights

Acting for Central Plains Water

on all aspects of that scheme including resource consent applications and proceedings, initial equity capital raise, numerous debt, priority and other commercial arrangements, rights issues, senior and subordinated debt financing requirements, procurement strategy and construction contract negotiation and documentation

Acting for North Otago Irrigation Company

on its equity capital raises (co-advised with a local legal services provider), construction contract negotiation and documentation, and construction disputes

Advising Hunter Downs Water

on its 2017 construction equity raise, water user agreement, contractual arrangements with third parties, initial legal due diligence for financiers and preparation of construction contracts and associated documents

Advising Greater Wellington Regional Council

on Public Works Act aspects of the Water Wairarapa proposed irrigation project and structuring and capital raising issues

Advising Pioneer Energy

on investment and structuring issues in respect of the Dairy Creek Irrigation scheme

Advising Kurow-Duntroon Irrigation Company

on its 2017 equity capital raise (co-advised with a local legal services provider)

Advising Hurunui District Council and potential investors

on investment issues associated with the Hurunui Water Project

Advising Bank of New Zealand

on the financing for Stage 2 of the Barrhill Chertsey Irrigation Scheme (BCIS) and the buyout by Barrhill Chertsey Irrigation of Electricity Ashburton from the BCIS

Advising shareholders

on structuring proposals for Rangitata Diversion Race Management

Advising various clients in the Otago region

on the issues for water users in that area emanating from the 'deemed permit' situation

Acting for Contact Energy

to draft and negotiate the pragmatic land rights and easements for the Hydro Storage at Lakes Hawea, Roxburgh and Dunstan, including the dams, the connecting rivers and the Lake Dunstan land slide stabilisation works (including for ongoing slide survey monitoring)

Our team