Profile
Vanessa specialises in resource management, infrastructure, and environmental law.
She has over 20 years' experience acting for a broad range of public and private clients on consenting, policy and plan change processes for housing, transport, and infrastructure projects. Vanessa regularly represents clients at all court levels on a broad range of resource management matters. More recently, she has been involved in two Supreme Court appeals of significant precedent value to resource management consenting and plan-making processes generally.
In addition to litigation, project and advisory work, Vanessa also has extensive experience advising clients on the environmental and planning aspects of property, banking, and commercial transactions. She has also chaired a Fast Track Consenting Panel in relation to an integrated residential development in North Auckland.
- Recognised by IFLR1000 as a women leader and highly regarded lawyer for project development
- Member of the Resource Management Law Association
Work highlights
Senior legal consenting adviser for the Auckland Light Rail project
advising on the detailed business case, consenting and urban intensification workstreams
Successfully obtained Waka Kotahi and Auckland Transport designations
for the Drury Arterial Network (part of Auckland's Supporting Growth Programme) which is the first long term transport strategic network in the Auckland region that supports Auckland's future growth areas
Advising Waka Kotahi on three related Drury private urban development proposals
to ensure integration between new infrastructure corridors and the planning framework for the planned urban growth areas
Acting for private developers
to successfully obtain significant new urban residential subdivision in greenfield areas such as Pokeno in the North Waikato. Further intensification has also been secured via the Council's IPI process under the Enabling Housing Legislation
Advising Lightsource BP on its proposed Glorit Solar Farm
Lightsource is proposing to build a 150-megawatt photovoltaic facility on a 220-hectare site, located adjacent to the Kaipara Harbour, north Auckland. This is expected to supply electricity for some 33,000 homes and create 200 construction jobs
Lead legal adviser and project lead
for Auckland Transport's Takānini Levels Crossings project and Takānini Frequent Transit Network project