New Zealand needs to do better with its planning of urban development and associated infrastructure, Environment Minister Nick Smith said today announcing two new technical advisory groups to support the Government's programme of resource management reforms.

"There are major question marks over the way the Resource Management Act is working in urban areas," Dr Smith said. "I don't think we have the incentives right for developers to do the best urban design in our largest cities. There are also questions about the policy of metropolitan urban limits, the effect they have on section prices and the negative flow-on effects to the broader economy. Nor do we have a good track record of having the right infrastructure in place at the right time for supporting urban development.

"These are complex issues that require careful deliberation and expert input. That is why the Cabinet has appointed Urban and Infrastructure Technical Advisory Groups to work with the Ministry for the Environment to report on these issues this year."

The Urban TAG will be chaired by barrister Alan Dormer and includes planning consultant Adrienne Young Cooper, research economist and consultant Arthur Grimes, architect and urban designer Graeme McIndoe, Chief Executive of the Property Council of New Zealand Connal Townsend and Ernst Zollner of the New Zealand Transport Agency. It has a report date of 30 June 2010.

The Infrastructure TAG will be chaired by Mike Foster, Director of Zomac Planning Solutions Ltd, and includes planning consultant Adrienne Young Cooper, barrister Alan Dormer, solicitor Kelvin Reid, civil engineer Lindsay Crossen, Sacha McMeeking from Ngāi Tahu and the Chief Executive of the New Zealand Council for Infrastructure Development Stephen Selwood. It has a report date of 31 March 2010

"These issues of urban design and infrastructure have important linkages and that is why Alan Dormer and Adrienne Young Cooper have been appointed to both advisory groups. The work the TAGs will do will feed into the Government's broader Phase II RMA reforms and a further amendment Bill."

Biographies on the members of the Technical Advisory Groups & the Terms of Reference

Biographies Urban TAG members

Alan Dormer (Chair) is an Auckland barrister specialising in resource management and planning law with a Masters in Public Policy  He is an experienced hearing commissioner and has sat, in that capacity, for eight local authorities.

Alan Dormer has been appointed to a number of government-led law reform advisory groups and was Chair of the Technical Advisory Group appointed in 2008 to provide advice on the Phase I Resource Management reforms.  Alan is also a past president of the Resource Management Law Association and in 2009 was awarded the Association's "Outstanding Person" award; making him the only dual recipient of both this and the Planning Institutes prestigious "A O Glasse Award for Outstanding Services to Planning".  Alan teaches the Making Good Decisions Programme delivered by the University of Auckland's Centre for Continuing Education and has served on the Environmental Legal Assistance Advisory Panel since 2005.

Adrienne Young Cooper is an independent director and planning consultant and is a founding director of Hill Young Cooper Ltd, a specialist resource management and environmental consultancy. Adrienne Young Cooper worked in local government in a senior management role at Rodney District Council from 1983 to the 1990's.

She is an expert resource management consultant for government and private clients, and has extensive public board service.  As a resource management consultant, Ms Young Cooper has carried out a wide range of projects for central government, regional councils, district and city councils and private clients.  She has served on many major public boards including the Auckland Regional Transport Authority, the Auckland City Property Enterprise Board, Maritime New Zealand and Manukau Building Consultants. 

Arthur Grimes is a research economist and consultant, with strong links to public policy. His research centres around infrastructure and housing economics, and macroeconomics (including currency union). Most of his research is conducted through Motu Economic and Public Policy Research Trust.  He is also affiliated to University of Waikato as Adjunct Professor of Economics. His key public policy role is Chair of the Board of Directors of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand, and he is a member of the National Infrastructure Advisory Board.  Dr Grimes chairs the Hugo Group, consults to private and public sector clients, and sits on the board of a number of community organisations.

Graeme McIndoe is a registered architect and qualified urban designer, gaining his masters degree in urban design while a Commonwealth Scholar at the Joint Centre for Urban Design in Oxford, England in 1986. He has 27 years' practice experience. He has professional experience in all aspects of urban design, completing a multiplicity of projects for both the private and public sectors. His design work includes conceptual and detailed design at both urban and architectural scales and is complemented by policy formulation, city-wide strategy and master planning.  He has been involved as designer and principal urban design advisor in major plan change and resource consent processes for both private and public sector clients. 

Connal Townsend is Chief Executive of the Property Council of New Zealand, which is the industry stakeholder organisation that represents New Zealand's commercial, industrial, retail, property funds and multi-unit residential property owners. Mr Townsend is expert in all forms of commercial property and property investment in New Zealand.  He has worked with central, local and other government associated bodies on a wide range of development and resource management issues.  Specifically he works proactively with central and local government to ensure that our cities are great places to live in, are business friendly and provide world class employment opportunities. 

Ernst Zollner is Group Manager, Strategy and Performance with the NZ Transport Agency.  He is an urban planner with extensive experience in urban design, infrastructure planning, urban economics and economic development.  He has held a number of positions in New Zealand and South Africa that have given him direct involvement in policy development and management in local government.  He has also taught infrastructure planning and urban economics at the University of Auckland.  He has private sector consultancy experience in urban economics and planning with local government clients in New Zealand and South Africa.  He brings transport, economic and design perspectives to planning and urban design. 

Biographies Infrastructure TAG members

Mike Foster (Chair) is an independent planning consultant and director of Zomac Planning Solutions Ltd.  From 1985 to 2001, he was Director of Planning at Beca Carter Hollings & Ferner Ltd, consulting engineers and planners. Mike Foster has over 30 years experience in planning and resource management issues and has extensive experience in major projects gaining consent under the RMA.

Mike Foster is past president of the New Zealand Planning Institute (NZPI) and the recipient of the distinguished service award from the NZPI.  Mike was a member of the 2008 Technical Advisory Group appointed to provide advice on the Phase 1 Resource Management reforms and will bring invaluable infrastructure project experience to this infrastructure TAG.

Adrienne Young Cooper (See Urban TAG above)

Alan Dormer (See Urban TAG above) 

Kelvin Reid is a solicitor and Director of Goodman Tavendale Reid. Kelvin is a skilled litigator, specialising in commercial, resource management and employment matters. Kelvin Reid is based in Christchurch and has considerable experience of South Island issues and the handling of complex matters, including resource management disputes arising in relation to water allocation and quality issues in the Waitaki River and on the Canterbury plains. His depth of understanding of South Island infrastructure and irrigation issues will bring a particular expertise to the Group.

Lindsay Crossen is a civil engineer with Fulton Hogan and was Fulton Hogan NZ Group's Chief Executive from 1998 to 2008.  Lindsay Crossen has served as member of several boards and has been Chair of Roading NZ and Northern Gateway Alliance which was responsible for the largest road construction built in New Zealand.

Lindsay Crossen is currently a member of the National Infrastructure Advisory Board appointed by the Government in May 2009.  Together with eight years spent as Executive Engineering Manager for the Southland District Council he brings to this group over 41 years practical experience in NZ infrastructure building.

Sacha McMeeking is of Ngāi Tahu descent and in 2009 was appointed General Manager Strategy and Influence with Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu.

Sacha McMeeking was a law lecturer at University of Canterbury from 2005 to 2007 and her career to date has included legal academia, social work, kaupapa Māori programme design and strategic and political advice.  Sacha McMeeking will bring a strong Māori perspective to the group.

Stephen Selwood has been Chief Executive of the NZ Council for Infrastructure Development since 2005.  He is member of many boards including: Deputy Chair of Cleft NZ from 2009; Auckland Regional Council's Economic Development Agency since March 2009; Business NZ Energy Forum since 2006 and the Employers and Manufacturing Association Infrastructure Policy Committee since 2005.

Stephen Selwood has a wealth of knowledge and experience of strategic and public policy issues across transport, energy, water, telecommunications and social infrastructure development.  His understanding of New Zealand infrastructure and planning processes will provide a strong support to any resource management infrastructure policy recommendations.

Terms of Reference

Urban Technical Advisory Group

The RM Phase II Urban Technical Advisory Group (TAG) is appointed to provide independent advice to the Minister for the Environment on proposals for the reform of the urban planning and design mechanisms in the RMA and related legislation. 

The scope of the review will look the merits of tools currently available for implementing urban planning and design including:

• housing affordability / section pricing mechanisms


• urban design panels


• metropolitan urban limits


• financing and funding mechanisms for infrastructure


• spatial and structure plans

It will also look at integrating and align planning statutes and planning mechanisms (specifically the RMA, Local Government Act and Land Transport Management Act).

Infrastructure Technical Advisory Group

The RM Phase II Infrastructure Technical Advisory Group (TAG) is appointed to provide independent advice to the Minister for the Environment on proposals for the reform of the Infrastructure provisions in the RMA and related legislation. 

The Scope of the TAG's investigation of infrastructure work will include:

• A review of the role of designations in facilitating infrastructure development and an examination of options for reviewing and streamlining the designation mechanism.


• An investigation of alternatives to designations for planning for and managing the effects of activities on network infrastructure.


• Streamlining and integrating processes including for acquisition and compensation, under the Public Works Act 1981 and other legislation.