This webinar, where UDINZ member Simpson Grierson, updated us on the detail of the first tranche of reform of the Public Works Act, and how this fits in with the coalition government’s reform agenda in the housing and infrastructure space.

Our Speakers:

Partner, Nick Wilson, is in Simpson Grierson’s Real Estate team and specialises in commercial real estate, infrastructure and local government law. Nick advises on some of NZ’s largest infrastructure projects, acting for local authorities, CCOs and infrastructure providers, with a particular focus on Public Work Acquisition. Nick was joined by Sarah Mitchell, a Partner in the Planning & Environment team, who advises on a wide range of resource management and environmental issues, with particular expertise in the consenting of large infrastructure projects and housing developments.

UDINZ webinar where UDINZ member Bell Gully updated us on the detail of the pathways available for fast tracking projects of regional and national significance and how such fast tracking dovetails with other developments in terms of housing and infrastructure and the coalition governments reform agenda.

Our Speakers:

Natasha Garvan and Laura Lincoln – Bell Gully

Partner, Natasha Garvan, and senior associate, Laura Lincoln are key members of Bell Gully’s environment and planning team, advising on all aspects of resource management and environmental law. They support developers, infrastructure providers, public bodies, iwi, and businesses through planning, consenting, and designation processes, with experience spanning large-scale developments, transport, and energy projects. They regularly appear in council hearings, mediations, and the Environment Court.

Natasha leads the firm’s environment and planning practice and is a Convenor of the NZLS Climate Change Law Committee. Laura brings significant expertise in public works advice, plan changes, and legislative processes, having represented clients before the Environment Court, and Council Commissioners at Council hearings.

UDINZ Innovation Series Webinar: “Innovation In Housing: Thinking that’s outside the box!” with BLOXX.

Chris Smith, Founder and CEO gave an overview of the BLOXX Build to Own novel business model launched into the New Zealand market and now launching in the UK.  He explained how they solve the home ownership crisis, the clear mission driving BLOXX and the mutual value they aim to create for aspiring home owners, institutional investors and property developers/home builders.

Homeownership has dropped to its lowest rate since 1945 – from 75% in the early 1990s to less than 60% today.

As Chris puts it, “The GFC in 2008 made me realise how important the banking system is, but how bad banking had become. I set out to change banking, but after years of work I realised I couldn’t change it from within – and I needed to realise my mission to get people into homes by reinventing the system from outside the sector.

The mission now is to change Generation Rent into Generation BLOXX by turning 100,000 Kiwi renters into homeowners, creating a new financial services system to enable home ownership”

Having heard from Patrick McVeigh (Webinar and Member Voice article) from the point of view of the insights we can take from regional deals overseas, we now come at the topic from a different direction, with Linda Meade, Director at, UDINZ member, Kalimena Advisory on "Next steps" with the Regional Deals Strategic Framework.

Linda took us through the highlights as she sees it from the recently released Regional Deals Strategic Framework, supplemented by insights from speeches and papers released by the Government referring to it. 

In addition, Linda offered some thoughts and ideas on possible asks and offers for any given deal. What might these be? By way of example: 

“Asks” of central government could relate to a committed share of existing funds, regulatory changes and co-ordination across government departments and Crown entities. 

“Offers” by local government could include funding for public amenities to complement housing development, a committed process to deliver a regional spatial plan, or streamlining and aligning the consents process across a region. 

She also highlighted the importance of involving other parties, including iwi, tertiary institutions and private investors and developers.

Government’s much anticipated Regional Deals Strategic Framework was published on Thursday 22 August, see here: Regional Deals framework announced | Beehive.govt.nz. 

There’s much to be welcomed in the Framework, and many details that still need to be thought through. From an urban development perspective, the three priority objectives of building economic growth, delivering connected and resilient infrastructure, and improving the supply of affordable and quality housing are all directly relevant.

Patrick McVeigh, Beca’s Technical Director for Economic Development Advisory, reflected upon the Framework and drew upon his experience and knowledge of how Deals have enabled urban development overseas. He also shared specific examples of initiatives that have delivered to improve housing supply and affordability.

UDINZ Innovation Series Webinar: “Innovation In Housing: Thinking that’s outside the box!” with Steve Evans from Fletcher Living.

You may have seen it, you may have heard about it, but what is the journey behind LowCO. This is your chance to join Steve Evans, Chief Executive of Fletcher’s Residential and Development Division, and hear about the journey of LowCO - how an idea became a reality.

LowCO came about through a collaboration of Fletcher Building businesses and a partnership Watercare to meet the overarching goal of building with seven times less carbon than a standard New Zealand built home.

UDINZ Innovation Series Webinar:  “Innovation In Housing: Thinking that’s outside the box!” with Shane Brealey, Managing Director, Simplicity Living.

Simplicity Living is on a path to build 10,000 Build-to-Rent homes across New Zealand in the next 10 years. The first 1,256 are complete, in construction or currently being consented. The key to success is a high-performing financial model that delivers strong returns and attracts increasing numbers of investors through Simplicity. Development and construction costs, when measured against comparable projects, are approximately 30-35% less. Zero margin helps with the significant balance coming from a manufacturing mindset using Kaizen principles. The target is 100 year+ design life properties with very low maintenance requirements. Their resident communities are paying less than market rents and enjoying secure tenure.

UDINZ Innovation Series Webinar: “Innovation In Housing : Thinking that’s outside the box!”

Matthew Hulett, General Manager Delivery Transformation at Kāinga Ora - Homes and Communities will be presenting on the organisation’s Housing Delivery System (HDS) – a new innovative approach to planning and building houses to deliver much needed, quality homes for New Zealand’s whānau, faster and at a lower cost. Its about a new way of working together that’s interdisciplinary and collaborative and more akin to the approach taken with alliancing type models.

Webinar presented by UDINZ with John Gardiner and Louise Swann discussing options for when you are in a sticky situation. As a result of Cyclone Gabrielle and other related catastrophic weather events, we have seen a rash of recent buildings being red, yellow or white “placarded”. When are the placards warranted and when are they not. It's a delicate balance and safety must always prevail, but there may not always be agreement on where the line is drawn.

Watch to hear the technicalities around that initial placarding process, and the ways to "de-placard" your building when your engineering or geotechnical advice suggests the approach may have been too cautious.