Auckland Council and the Government have confirmed the appointment of the expert group that will lead hearings on proposed Plan Change 120.
Known as an ‘independent hearings panel’, the group is made up of nine members with extensive backgrounds in planning, natural hazards, law, infrastructure, transport, economics, design, landscape, cultural values and tikanga Māori.
Mayor of Auckland, Wayne Brown, welcomes the appointments to the panel.
"I'm pleased with the calibre of individuals here. They will be shepherding the public submissions on what will be some of the biggest decisions made this term, it's important we have the knowledge and years of relevant experience here."
What does the panel do?
The panel is jointly appointed by the council and the government.
Every submission made on Plan Change 120 will be carefully considered by the panel. They will look at the evidence provided and recommend changes where appropriate.
Submitters do not have to attend the hearing for their submission to be considered, but they are welcome to if they want to share their views with the panel directly.
Once all hearings conclude, the panel will make recommendations to the council on where changes could be considered as a result of submissions.
All changes to the Auckland Unitary Plan go through a hearings process like this, as it’s required under the Resource Management Act.
Meet the experts overseeing the Plan Change 120 hearings
Chair
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Sarah Shaw, law: Auckland Council announced the appointment of the panel’s chair, Sarah Shaw, in November. Sarah is a barrister with over 25 years of experience in environmental, resource management, public law and local government law, with a particular focus on district plan preparation.
Panel members
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Karyn Sinclair, planning: Karyn is a planner with over 35 years’ experience across a broad range of areas. She specialises in transport infrastructure, environmental planning, coastal planning and district and regional planning.
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Dr Lee Beattie, urban design: Lee is an urban planner and urban designer. He has 30 years’ professional experience in an extensive range of complex urban planning, urban design and environmental matters.
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Karyn Kurzeja, planning: Karyn is a planner with over 25 years’ experience in urban and statutory planning, including policy making and plan development. She also has specialist expertise in land development and large-scale residential and rural subdivision projects, medium density housing developments and greenfield growth projects.
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Jack Turner, natural hazards: Jack is a civil engineer and environmental planner with over 20 years’ experience and specialisation in stormwater. Jack also has expertise across three-waters, earthworks, erosion and sediment control, and natural hazards.
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Vicki Morrison-Shaw, law, cultural values and tikanga Māori: Vicki is an environmental barrister and accredited hearings commissioner with over 20 years’ experience in environmental, resource management and Māori law issues. She is a Te Reo Māori speaker with whakapapa to Ngāpuhi.
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Matthew Prasad, spatial and urban strategy: Matthew has over 20 years’ experience in shaping cities, communities and infrastructure with specific expertise in architecture, urban design, development advisory, spatial and urban strategy.
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Dr Stuart Donovan, economics: Stuart is an economist with 20 years’ experience of working in New Zealand and Australia. Stuart has expertise in urban economics, multi-modal transport planning, and infrastructure and land use policy.
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Malcolm McCracken, transport and urban planning: Malcolm is a transport and urban planner with expertise in transport planning and strategy, policy development, and transport and land-use integration. He has carried out significant advisory work across local and central government.
Members Karyn Sinclair, Karyn Kurzeja, Dr Lee Beattie and Jack Turner were appointed by Auckland Council and members Vicki Morrison-Shaw, Matthew Prasad, Dr Stuart Donovan and Malcolm McCracken were appointed by the Minister Responsible for RMA Reform (Hon Chris Bishop) and Minister of Conservation (Hon Tama Potaka).
In the interests of making this announcement swiftly before the holiday season, further information about each panelist will be published on the council’s website in the new year.
