Introducing: The Planning Collective

Navigating the complexities of the Resource Management Act just got a lot easier for residents on the Hibiscus Coast who might be planning to build a house, set-up a home office or subdivide.

Planning consultants, The Planning Collective, has opened an office at 3 Hibiscus Coast Highway, Silverdale, complementing its northern base in Warkworth.

Directors Burnette O’Connor, Gemma-Rose Brooke and Paul Rodgers head a team of eight, with experience across all aspects of resource management issues.

Paul says if he had one piece of advice for someone thinking of building, buying or selling land, it would be, “speak to a planner first”.

He says planners are the professionals who can provide more conceptual advice to push the boundaries if necessary.

“People can miss huge opportunities without this sort of advice at the start,” he says.

Burnette adds that while architects and engineers will give advice on what is permitted, planners are solution orientated, even if a project doesn’t meet the rules initially.

“Sometimes better design outcomes are achieved by infringing the rules,” she says. “Having a conversation to find out what people’s immediate and future aspirations are is very important.”

Gemma-Rose says that rather than costing a client more, early advice can circumvent waste.

“If you just charge ahead without knowing all the ins and outs of what can and can’t be done on your land, you can find yourself having to file multiple resource consents, which could have been avoided with a robust planning strategy.”

All three directors have undertaken projects of their own in Auckland so have first-hand experience of some of the frustrations that often go hand-in-hand with development.

“Clear advice, realistic timeframes and creative solutions can make all the difference.”

Collectively, the team has expertise across the gamut of development and building issues from plan changes, structure plans and policy advice to resource consents, conflict resolution and scoping reports including development potential reporting and analysis.