Our team

Sean has 16 years experience undertaking a variety of planning work at SPG for both private and public sector clients. The wide variety of planning work Sean undertakes includes obtaining various approvals throughout the South Island via the Resource Management Act 1991, the Conservation Act 1987 and the Land Act 1948 including DOC Concessions and LINZ Recreation Permits. Sean’s extensive and varied work streams have included a number of appearances as an expert witness in both Council and Environment Court hearings, for both consenting and policy planning matters.

Sean leads SPG’s Cromwell office and also regularly commutes to the Queenstown office.

On a strategic planning level, Sean also has extensive experience providing planning advice to clients in relation to the formalisation of the Department of Conservations National Park Management Plans and Conservation Management Strategies throughout the lower South Island.

Notable examples of Sean’s work:

Representing Totally Tourism Limited and its subsidiaries The Helicopter Line and Harris Mountains Heli Ski, Sean has obtained a significant number of approvals for commercial recreation activities under the Resource Management Act 1991 and various Concessions from the Department of Conservation in the Otago, Southland, West Coast and Canterbury Conservancies.

Sean has assisted NZSki Limited in obtaining resource consents (at District and Regional levels) and concessions in relation to the major re-development of the Remarkables Ski Area and its associated infrastructure located within the Rastus Burn Recreation Reserve. More recently, Sean has been assisting Cardrona Alpine Resort with their new facilities and infrastructure developments across the Cardrona, Soho, and Treble Cone Ski Areas.

Sean has prepared evidence and appeared in front of the Department of Conservation’s hearings panel on behalf of commercial tourism operators in relation to the review of the Mt Aspiring and Westland Tai Poutini National Park Management Plans and the Otago and Southland Conservation Management Strategies.

Sean prepared a research report on the management of ‘informal airports’ in the Queenstown Lakes District for the QLDC in 2012. The purpose of this report was to inform and advise the Council of improvements to the District Plan provisions for ‘airports’ as part of the District Plan review.

Sean has acted as an expert planning witness in the Environment Court for Skyline Enterprises Ltd to authorise the helicopter landing area located adjacent to the Skyline Gondola terminal building at Bob’s Peak, Queenstown. In addition, Sean was Skyline Enterprises Ltd planning witness for two Environment Court Direct Referral hearings for the resource consents that were successfully obtained for the new gondola, restaurant building, and car park presently under construction in Queenstown.

Sean prepared evidence and represented the Jacks Point Residents and Owners Association Incorporated (and others) in the Environment Court in opposition to Skydive Queenstown Limited’s (NZOne) resource consent application RM120052.

Sean provided expert evidence in the Environment Court for the New Zealand Winegrowers and Waipara Valley Wine Growers Incorporated in regards to the Hurunui District Council’s Plan Change 18 – Frost Control Fans.