Woods

Woods, a New Zealand engineering consultancy employing over 200 staff with a 50-year history, has opened a new office in Warkworth, with a north-facing focus.

Under principal engineer Lawrence Pacey, who brings decades of senior UK experience, it’s the latest addition to the Auckland-based company Woods, which also has offices in Christchurch and specialises in land development, civil and water infrastructure, planning and urban design, and surveying and geospatial services. Its involvement in major Auckland developments includes Milldale, Millwater and Long Bay.

“Woods has vast experience in engineering, surveying, bringing big developments,” he says. “We’re able to draw on all that expertise in Warkworth.”

Pacey came to New Zealand in 2022, after 25 years with British consulting engineers Rodgers Leask, the last 14 of them as director. It had offices in six cities, each with populations near or exceeding 500,000.

“The current terrain is very different,” he says, noting that all of Northland has a population of only around 200,000.

While scale differs, “the opportunity to help Woods do well here is exciting: Get more people in, get more work in, contribute to the group – it’s a good challenge”.

After commutes into Auckland from Ōrewa, he now prefers his drive to Warkworth from Mangawhai, where he lives with partner Becky, overlooking the Heads. He enjoys fishing off the beach there and is an active member of Wellsford Golf Club.

Although lifestyle wasn’t specifically what attracted him to immigrate, Lawrence acknowledges how much has changed for him.

“You can’t just jump into the sea every night when you’re living in Nottingham,” he laughs. “Swimming, surfing, tramping, fishing, golfing – perfect!”