Programme
LDEG Forum & Field Trip
Programme is subject to change without notification
Day 1 - Thursday 26 November
Forum Programme
7:45am - 8:30am
Registration Open - tea and coffee
8:30am
Welcome and mihi
8:45am
Land Development Engineering Group (LDEG) Introduction
Kelly LaValley, LDEG Chair
Murray Pugh, Āpōpō CE
8:55am
Developing in a political environment
Sandra Hazlehurst ONZM, ex-Mayor of Hastings
First elected to Hastings District Council in 2010, Sandra served as the district’s first female Hastings Mayor from 2017 to 2025. During her mayoralty she led major transformational change and strengthened partnerships with iwi, central government and community organisations.
She spearheaded the district’s largest infrastructure investment programme to deliver a record $2.1 billion over the coming decade. She supported significant improvements in housing supply and wellbeing, guided Hastings through COVID-19 and the recovery of Cyclone Gabrielle, and led the council to become the most awarded local authority in New Zealand this decade.
Sandra has seen first-hand how quality infrastructure shapes the wellbeing of a community. She continues to support the Hawkes Bay region leading a number of projects and initiatives across a diverse spectrum of activities.
9:40am
Changing Insurance Landscapes
James Baigent, Insurance Council NZ
Insurers are calling for urgent action to reduce natural hazard risk. New Zealand has high levels of insurance coverage that protects people and underpins the financial stability and prosperity of communities. New Zealand is also among the world’s most natural hazard exposed economies for the extent of our assets that are in harm’s way. This makes maintaining our high levels of insurance coverage critical. To do that we need to urgently reduce natural hazard risk. ICNZ advocates for stronger land-use planning and better rules and tools for Councils to channel development away from high risk places. We also advocate for central government leadership and support for local government in the critical work to reduce the risk faced by existing communities. Insurers are supporting the National Adaptation Framework and want to see action on the ground sooner, to reduce risk and prepare for rising climate hazards.
James is the Resilience Leader at the Insurance Council of New Zealand. ICNZ advocates for natural hazard risk reduction, adaptation and resilience investment so insurance availability and accessibility can be maintained. James previously worked at the Reserve Bank of New Zealand, and as a Ministerial staffer covering both local government and emergency management during the 2023 North Island Weather Events. Before that he worked for local authorities in New Zealand and the United Kingdom.
10:10am
Digital Badge LD 230 - Developing the Land
LD 230 is currently under development
Āpōpō Digital Badges are award winning bite-sized courses delivered online so you can learn, and earn credentials anytime, anywhere. Learn more here.
10:50am
Future Development Strategy – Planning for Growth
Anna Wood, Principal Development Advisor & Craig Scott, Team Leader - Environmental Policy
Representing the teams responsible for shaping and supporting the future growth of Hastings district, Anna Wood and Craig Scott will discuss the Future Development Strategy and the upcoming Regional Spatial Plan, as tools for responding to population growth, infrastructure demands, natural hazard risk and long-term community aspirations. Hastings population continues to grow, yet many factors can impact the vitality of both our communities and our economy. The policy tools that Anna and Craig will share provide a direction for growth that looks to balance environment, economy and wellbeing.
Anna is a qualified and registered urban designer, with over 20 years’ experience working across the built environment sector. In her role at Hastings District Council, she contributes to how the district will grow and change over time, while ensuring new development creates positive outcomes for the Hastings community. Anna enjoys the multi-disciplinary nature of work in local government and the variety in every day, where work can range from long term growth planning to an individual building or street.
Craig is the Team Leader Environmental Policy at Hastings District Council, with more than 20 years’ experience in local government planning. His career has spanned resource consents, policy planning, and the future development strategy, giving him experience across the full planning spectrum, from long-term growth planning through to implementation and decision-making. Craig has worked on district plan development, urban and rural growth issues, and strategic planning projects, and is passionate about finding practical solutions that deliver good outcomes for communities, the environment, and future generations.
11:25am
Development Funding: From Contributions to Delivery
Cori Barkle, Director - Rice Speir
This session will take a practical look at how councils and developers can fund and deliver growth infrastructure in a landscape where risk, capacity and legislative change are all moving at once. It will start with the core distinction between funding and financing, then work through the tools councils currently use (development contributions, development agreements, Crown funding, and IFFA-style structures) and where those tools help or fall short. The focus will then shift to what is changing: development levies, water services reform, greater use of targeted rates, and the need for sharper agreements that allocate timing, delivery, cost escalation and network-capacity risk.
Holding LLB and LLM (1st class) degrees, Cori has led major urban regeneration programmes, and funding and restructuring projects, including developing and implementing various infrastructure models and third-party funding structures.
Outside of work, Cori enjoys American football, values family life, and serves on the board of Habitat for Humanity Northern Region.
NOTABLE PROJECTS
- Unlocking public land assets for commercial developments including, for town centres, housing, solar farms, and water infrastructure delivery.
- The establishment of the Milldale “encumbrance” funding model between Auckland Council group and CIP (now NIFF).
- The establishment of the Housing Acceleration Fund between Auckland Council group and Kāinga Ora.
- Advising councils on new water service delivery CCOs.
12:05pm
Panel: Natural hazards and the impacts on development
James Baigent James is the Resilience Leader at the Insurance Council of New Zealand. ICNZ advocates for natural hazard risk reduction, adaptation and resilience investment so insurance availability and accessibility can be maintained. James previously worked at the Reserve Bank of New Zealand, and as a Ministerial staffer covering both local government and emergency management during the 2023 North Island Weather Events. Before that he worked for local authorities in New Zealand and the United Kingdom.
Dr Tom Logan Dr Tom Logan is a leading voice in climate resilience, adaptation and risk communication. Through his work with local government, infrastructure providers and communities across New Zealand, Tom helps organisations understand future climate risks and make better decisions today. His practical and thought-provoking approach challenges us to rethink resilience in a rapidly changing world.
Tania Kerr Tania is a governance leader with over 25 years’ experience. As a former Hastings District Councillor and Deputy Mayor, she earned a reputation for bridging the gap between council and rural communities who have often felt unheard.
She understands that the decisions councils make today shape communities for decades.
Tania has led cyclone recovery efforts for isolated rural communities, supported coastal settlements, served as an RMA Commissioner for 15 years, and co‑chaired the HB Rural Advisory Group through drought and disaster.
Her focus is governance that genuinely improves lives and importantly, decisions are made that communities can trust and understand.
Simon Bradshaw Simon Bradshaw is Head of Regulatory Delivery at Napier City Council and a Chartered Professional Engineer (CPEng) with more than 15 years' experience across engineering, infrastructure, planning, and regulatory leadership. He is passionate about helping communities grow and thrive while responding to the challenges of natural hazards, climate resilience, and long-term infrastructure planning. Simon brings a pragmatic, people-focused perspective shaped by experience in both engineering and local government decision-making, working closely with communities, iwi, developers, elected members, and technical specialists to navigate complex decisions where growth, risk, and resilience intersect.
1:50pm
Rethinking Risk and Resilience – Choices
Dr Tom Logan, Founder - Resilience Explorer
Natural-hazard risk is often presented as a map of where hazards may occur. For planners and engineers, the more important questions are what could fail, which services would be disrupted, who would be affected, and what choices should be made now.
This presentation reframes risk as the interaction between hazards, assets, services, communities and organisational decisions. It will explore how direct damage can cascade through interconnected infrastructure, how climate change and other pressures compound existing vulnerabilities, and why asset-level decisions should be informed by wider service and community consequences.
I’ll outline how we’re moving from periodic risk assessments toward an enduring risk-management capability: maintaining a shared evidence base, translating it into decision-relevant risk intelligence, and applying it consistently to investment, maintenance, resilience, adaptation and preparedness choices.
Dr Tom Logan is a leading voice in climate resilience, adaptation and risk communication. Through his work with local government, infrastructure providers and communities across New Zealand, Tom helps organisations understand future climate risks and make better decisions today. His practical and thought-provoking approach challenges us to rethink resilience in a rapidly changing world.
2:20pm
3:25pm
Planning on the Edge: Navigating Risk, Growth and Change in Land Development
Cam Drury, Director & Catherine Reaburn, Senior Associate Planner - Stradegy
New Zealand's land development sector is facing unprecedented change. Between resource management reform, increasing natural hazard awareness, infrastructure constraints, climate resilience expectations, and growing pressure for housing and economic development, the planning environment has become both more complex and more influential than ever.
Drawing on practical experience across local government and private sector projects, this presentation will share key planning insights emerging from today's development landscape. We'll explore how risk is being interpreted and managed through planning frameworks, where development proposals commonly succeed or struggle, and how planners, engineers, developers, and councils can work together to achieve better outcomes.
The session will provide a candid perspective on the challenges and opportunities ahead, highlighting emerging trends, common misconceptions, and practical lessons that can help shape more resilient, efficient, and successful development projects in an era of ongoing legislative and environmental change.
Cameron Drury is a Principal Planner and Director at Stradegy, with more than 20 years’ experience in resource management, environmental planning, and strategic project delivery across both local government and the private sector. He holds a Bachelor of Resource and Environmental Planning (Honours) from Massey University, specialising in Water and Wastewater Technologies and is a Full Member of the New Zealand Planning Institute.
Throughout his career, Cameron has led a diverse range of complex planning and consenting projects, including major infrastructure, water allocation and discharge consents, flood protection schemes, urban development, and policy development initiatives. He is recognised for developing strategic consenting pathways, coordinating multidisciplinary technical teams, and navigating complex regulatory processes to achieve successful outcomes.
Catherine Reaburn is a Senior Associate Planner at Stradegy with more than 20 years of professional planning experience across local government and private consultancy, specialising in policy development, urban growth, structure planning, regional consenting, and infrastructure projects. She holds a Bachelor of Arts (Geography) and a Postgraduate Diploma in Environmental Science (Environmental Management with Distinction) from the University of Auckland and is a Full Member of the New Zealand Planning Institute.
Catherine combines strong planning judgement, excellent communication skills, and a thorough understanding of the Resource Management Act with a practical and integrated approach to complex planning challenges. Drawing on her extensive experience she is skilled at balancing regulatory requirements with project objectives, identifying issues early, reducing risk, and developing pragmatic pathways that achieve successful planning and consenting outcomes.
Project Showcases: Hawke's Bay in Practice - Delivering Growth on the Ground
4:00pm
From Problem Industrial Catchment to Showcase Project: Transforming Lowes Reservoir Through Integrated Stormwater Management
Clint Cantrell, SCO Consulting
This presentation explores the development of Hastings District Council's award-worthy Lowes Reservoir and Omahu Road Industrial Corridor stormwater programme. Faced with a high-risk industrial catchment and limited treatment opportunities, the project team adopted a multi-barrier approach that integrated source control, first-flush diversion, stormwater pretreatment, and biofiltration technologies. The result has been a dramatic improvement in water quality and visual amenity, transforming Lowes Reservoir into a showcase example of what can be achieved in a challenging brownfield environment. The presentation will share key lessons, monitoring results, and opportunities for application elsewhere in New Zealand.
Clint Cantrell, P.E. is the Managing Director and founder of SCO Consulting, and an internationally recognised specialist in stormwater, wastewater, and integrated Three Waters infrastructure planning. With more than 30 years of experience across New Zealand, Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom, Clint has led some of the world's largest and most complex water infrastructure programmes, including Watercare's Mangere Wastewater Treatment Plant Master Plan and Auckland's $1.2 billion Central Interceptor project.
Clint has worked extensively with councils throughout New Zealand on stormwater quality improvement, wastewater treatment planning, environmental compliance, and infrastructure investment strategies. His recent work includes Hastings District Council's Omahu Road Industrial Corridor and Lowes Pit stormwater management programme, which has become a leading example of integrated, multi-barrier stormwater treatment in a high-risk industrial catchment.
A registered Professional Engineer, Clint combines strategic planning expertise with hands-on operational experience, helping communities develop practical, affordable, and sustainable water infrastructure solutions. Beyond engineering, he is the owner of Sea Change Eco Retreat in the Ha'apai Islands of Tonga, where he hosts visitors from around the world to experience one of the South Pacific's premier humpback whale swimming destinations each year between July and October. He is also a qualified commercial boat skipper, certified whale swim guide, and passionate advocate for marine conservation.
4:25pm
The Mission, Pressure Sewer
Neil Job - Ecoflow
With the growth of pressure sewer installations around New Zealand what can be learnt from the first two years of the Mission Hills Development.
Neil covers what was done to support councils, consulting engineers, developers, drainlayers & homeowners on implementing this new pressure sewer network.
From new council policy, layout design, operator training, system supply and even more training.
Neil Job is a Sales Manager at Ecoflow, Hawkes Bay born and raised and with 20+ years advising wastewater pumping solutions.
He is passionate about helping customers implement practical, cost-effective wastewater solutions that protect New Zealand's waterways while supporting resilient infrastructure.
4:32pm
It’s Flaxmere’s time
Shane Lambert & Raoul Oosterkamp, Hastings District Council
Flaxmere is one of Hastings’ fastest-growing suburbs and new housing is needed to accommodate the existing population and future growth.
Although planning has been underway for the revitalisation of the suburb for many years, since 2019 Flaxmere has been an integral part of the Hastings Place Based Housing Plan – a multi-agency and community collaboration to provide much-needed homes across Hastings.
Council has been a key instigator in this space, and in that time has prepared four lots of council-owned land for development in Flaxmere by a mix of non-government organisations and private developers.
As of early 2025, Council has completed the infrastructure works to support the housing including installing drinking, waste and stormwater, and roads, along with trees, indented parking and modern street lighting.
Learn more here.
Raoul Oosterkamp is Director of Policy Planning and Urban Development at Hastings District Council where he leads the teams responsible for shaping how Heretaunga Hastings grows and changes over the long term. His work spans spatial and policy planning, housing and development enablement, infrastructure sequencing, growth funding, and place-based regeneration. His team has led major initiatives including the Flaxmere housing and town-centre programmes, Future Development Strategy, residential and industrial growth area development, and local area planning, with a strong focus on partnership, delivery and strategic outcomes.
Shane Lambert is a Growth and Development Partnership Advisor at Hastings District Council, working across Council teams, and with developers and community partners to help enable well-planned urban growth and infrastructure delivery. He has a key role in several major Flaxmere growth projects, including the Flaxmere Town Centre redevelopment, which inter-relates with new transport and infrastructure connections, and planning for future housing. Shane’s work focuses on aligning Councils strategic objectives, with land development, funding, regulatory processes and delivery partnerships to achieve practical outcomes for the community.
5:00pm
Wrap-up
Bus departs for Mission Estate from Scenic Te Pania Hotel at 6pm
6:00 - 10:30pm
Networking dinner
Join fellow delegates for an evening of connection, conversation and local hospitality at Mission Estate Winery, one of Napier’s most distinctive venues.
- Date: Thursday 26 November 2026
- Venue: Mission Estate Winery, 198 Church Road, Napier
- Transport: Coaches will depart from Scenic Te Pania Hotel at 6.00pm and return at approximately 10.30pm.
- Includes: Return coach transfers, tour, wine-tasting and dinner. Guests will receive a welcome drink on arrival, cash bar thereafter.
The dinner offers a relaxed opportunity to continue forum conversations in a memorable Hawke’s Bay setting, while giving delegates insight into the history and development of Mission Estate. The evening is expected to include a hosted heritage tour beginning at the Cellar Door, where photographic displays and wine exhibits will introduce the Estate’s story over time.
Delegates will then visit the underground cellar, hear more about the 1931 earthquake, the relocation and rebuilding of the Mission, and learn about the Estate’s ongoing sustainability focus.
Further details will be provided closer to the event.
Day 2 - Friday 27 November
Forum Field Trip
Join us for a day in the field as we explore some of the region's key development and resilience projects.
While the final itinerary is still being confirmed, site visits will include Mission Hills Development, the Waiohiki Stopbank Project, Redclyffe Bridge, Brookfields Bridge, Lowes Lake, and the Flaxmere Development, including the Portsmouth Stormwater Basin.
Through site visits and conversations with project teams, you'll gain first-hand insight into project delivery, challenges, successes, and transferable learnings that can be applied within your own organisation and community.
Coach transport will be provided between sites, with expert local commentary along the way. Delegates will also receive a packed lunch, with scheduled stops for refreshments and comfort breaks throughout the day.
3:30pm
Day concludes
The coach will drop delegates off at Napier airport no later than 3:30pm before returning to Scenic Te Pania Hotel.