Natasha Garvan

Her expertise includes providing strategic advice and consenting strategies for large scale projects, implementing those strategies through plan change, designation or consenting processes, and advising on the interpretation of district and regional planning documents.

Natasha regularly appears as counsel at mediations and hearings, including advising on consents, designations, planning instruments, declarations, enforcement, and judicial review proceedings.

Natasha’s background in political studies and policy analysis is particularly advantageous to clients when they need policy options assessed or key messages prepared for submissions on national, regional, and district planning documents.

In addition to her strategic advice and advocacy, she has been an active participant in policy, industry and research initiatives relating to freshwater management including:

• A member of the Governance and Limits Working Group for the second report of the Land and Water Forum.
• Co-founder of 3F (Food, Farms, and Freshwater).
• Presenter at multiple conferences on the proposed national environmental standard for freshwater and freshwater collaborative processes.
• Co-author of the publication “Community-owned Rural Catchment Management: A guide for partners”. This was a project managed by NZ Landcare Trust.
• Co-author of the book “Managing Freshwater: An EDS Guide”.

Natasha routinely advises on sensitive land applications under the Overseas Investment Act. She undertakes due diligence for major corporate and property transactions including relating to contaminated sites, quarries, educational institutions, retirement villages, fast food chain, and manufacturing plants.

Her clients include some of New Zealand’s largest infrastructure companies, such as Transpower, Meridian Energy, and Auckland Transport.

Auckland Transport and Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency
Advising Auckland Transport and Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency on Te Tupu Ngātahi, the Supporting Growth Alliance, as a senior member of the Alliance legal team, on route protection of the transportation network required to service the next 30 years of Auckland's growth.

Transpower New Zealand
Assisting Transpower with its submissions in relation to national regulatory reforms and proposed national policy statements, represented it at Council hearings and Environment Court mediations, advising on appeals for a number of planning matters including the Christchurch Replacement District Plan which involved a fast tracked hearing process with a large number of parties, Proposed Southland Regional Policy Statement, Proposed Otago Regional Policy Statement, plan changes and Special Housing Areas in the Auckland region.

Meridian Energy
Appeared as junior counsel at the Environment Court direct referral hearing for Meridian Energy's Hurunui project application, advised on the Mill Creek project, a large scale contentious wind farm project near Wellington, and advised Meridian Energy on policy and planning matters and represented them at Environment Court mediations including for the Horizons One Plan, Wellington Regional Policy Statement, Kaipara District Plan, and Plan Change 5 to the Central Otago District Plan.

The Land and Water Forum
Member of the Governance and Limits Working Group for the second report of the Land and Water Forum. The forum included stakeholders and organisations with an interest in freshwater management.

City Rail Link Limited
Appeared as junior counsel at the Environment Court direct referral hearing for the alterations to the City Rail Link designations at Mt Eden. The designations were successfully altered as sought by City Rail Link.

Tainui Group Holdings significant developments
Assisted Tainui with its strategic projects, including The Base retail centre in Te Rapa, Hamilton and its proposed 300 ha inland port, industrial and residential development at Ruakura worth NZ$3 billion.
Acted for Tainui at Environment Court mediations on the Proposed Waikato Regional Policy Statement and the Proposed Hamilton City District Plan.

Contaminated sites
Advising clients on the liability of contaminated site issues, including some of New Zealand's heavyweight commercial and industrial interests and a range of regulatory bodies.

Overseas Investment advice
Conducting sensitive land checks for applications to the Overseas Investment Office.