Articles

The High Court has issued a judgment which serves a reminder to company directors of the risks and liabilities they assume when accepting a directorship position.

The High Court has issued a decision under the Fast-track Approvals Act 2024 relating to project scope, namely whether a substantive application related “solely to a listed project” where it sought less than what is provided by the Project’s Schedule 2 listing; and what is required of an expert panel to achieve compliance with the FTAA’s decision-making requirements when documenting its decision.

ChanceryGreen is delighted to have assisted Mercury in securing approvals for Mahinerangi Wind Farm – Stage 2 (Puke Kapo Hau) under the Fast-track Approvals Act 2024.

ChanceryGreen is pleased to have prepared the inaugural legal commentary on the Fast-track Approvals Act 2024 for the Thomson Reuters Westlaw New Zealand legal research database.

The Court of Appeal has issued an important judgment clarifying the limits of a local authority’s power to grant licences authorising private structures within road reserves, including unformed or “paper” roads.

The Government has introduced the Resource Management (Duration of Consents) Amendment Bill 2025, a targeted interim reform designed to prevent resource consents from expiring in the period before the proposed RMA replacement regime takes effect.

Last week, the Environment Court granted resource consents to Northport Limited for a 13ha expansion to its port facilities at Marsden Point, subject to revised conditions. This is a significant milestone for Northport, following many years of design, engagement, and refinement.

The Supreme Court has issued its second decision on appeals in respect of applications for orders under the MACA Act, deciding residual issues with respect to the s58 test for customary marine title amongst other matters.

An Expert Panel has released the first decision under the Fast-track Approvals Act 2024. Port of Auckland Limited has been granted approvals under the Fast-track Approvals Act 2024 for major upgrades to its port facilities in Auckland. The Expert Panel decision sets out a number of observations of relevance to future applications.

The High Court has ruled that the substantive application for the Port of Tauranga's Stella Passage Development project is out of scope, because the project applied for was not that described in Schedule 2 of the FTAA.

The Resource Management (Consenting and Other System Changes) Amendment Bill introduces a range of changes to the RMA. The most significant change is a nationwide pause on most plan and policy statement changes until the end of 2027, when the Government expects to introduce replacement RMA legislation.

The first legal process challenge under the Fast-track Approvals Act 2024 has been issued. The Applicants sought interim relief from the High Court in the context of judicial review proceedings challenging the Environmental Protection Authority’s initial scope and completeness decision of a substantive application by the Port of Tauranga.

Recent Environment Court decisions have seen significant costs awards, suggesting the Court is prepared to take a firmer stance where conduct falls short.

ChanceryGreen is pleased to have assisted in obtaining resource consent for a helipad at a private property in Westmere, Auckland.

The Government is proposing four "packages" of new and amended national direction documents as part of Phase 2 of its RMA reform.

The coalition Government has announced several additional, short-term changes aimed at making greenfield development easier.

The Government has unveiled its plans to replace the RMA with two new Acts. These put property rights at the heart of the system.

The High Court has clarified the limits of issuing permits under section 53 of the Wildlife Act 1953 for the killing of protected wildlife.

The Fast-track Approvals Act has passed. Amendments at the Bill's final stage have reshaped the Act, affecting substance and process.

A new RMA amendment Bill proposes significant process changes that will affect infrastructure, energy, housing, and the primary sector.