Jenna Silcock

Profile

Jenna specialises in environment and resource management, and local government law. She is a trusted adviser to a wide range of local authority, government and corporate clients on a variety of resource management matters including Resource Management Act (RMA) consenting, designations, district and regional planning, appeals and enforcement.

Jenna also has experience in civil litigation, including advising on judicial review risks and acting for local authorities in respect of judicial review proceedings. She regularly engages in mediation and alternative dispute resolution processes and has appeared before Council Hearing Panels, Independent Hearings Panels, the Environment Court, the District Court, the High Court and the Court of Appeal.

Market recognition

Member of the Resource Management Law Association (RMLA) and the RMLA Canterbury branch

Member of the Canterbury Women's Legal Association

Work highlights

Advising local authorities

including Christchurch City Council, Hurunui District Council, Mackenzie District Council, Selwyn District Council, and Waimakariri District Council on various RMA matters including plan interpretation, resource consenting, plan making and compliance, and enforcement matters

Advising Waimakariri District Council

on its district plan review, including its IPI variations, and on an appeal in respect of a private plan change to the operative district plan

Acting for Selwyn District Council

on various appeals to the Environment on the proposed Selwyn District Plan and a decision on a designation

Advising clients

on the implications of National Policy instruments including the National Policy Statement (NPS) for Indigenous Biodiversity, NPS for Urban Development and NPS for Highly Productive Land

Advising commercial clients

on water conservation order proceedings and regional council policy, consenting and compliance issues, including in respect of irrigation schemes such as the Central Plains Water irrigation scheme

Advising private and local authority clients

on a range of discharge issues including air discharges, passive discharges and nutrient discharges

Acting for Hurunui District Council

on various aspects of its second-generation plan, including all Environment Court appeals, which were resolved following mediation

Advising and acting for commercial clients

on large scale consenting projects throughout New Zealand including advice on consent pathways, the resource consent process, commercial and litigation risks, appeals, and implementation of consents. Projects include greenfields developments and strategic infrastructure

Advising Mackenzie District Council

on declaration applications concerning the immediate effect of vegetation clearance provisions within the Mackenzie Basin

Advising local authorities

on plan appeals and judicial review proceedings

Advising local authorities and private clients

on resource management enforcement including abatement notices, infringement notices and prosecutions

Advising the Crown on its All-of-Government submission

(on behalf of 22 Government departments and agencies) on the proposed Christchurch Replacement District Plan, including representation before the Independent Hearings Panel

Providing regulatory advice to local authorities and private clients

in relation to bylaws, the Resource Management Act and the Building Act

Acting for Hurunui District Council

on one of the first direct referral applications in the Environment Court regarding a proposed wind farm

Advising commercial and local government clients

on insolvency and debt recovery issues

Experience

Sector/Expertise

Alternate contacts