32 | REGIONAL Bay Planning Our newest Hawke's Bay show home at Mission Hills Drive is a compelling demonstration of what thoughtful design and quality craftsmanship can achieve. Platinum Homes Enquire Today 06 650 4505 17 Mission Hills Drive, Poraiti, Napier. 2 3 2 2 2 Your Local Civil Engineering Consultants and Project Managers The Team at Civil Services have the knowledge and experience to meet and exceed your engineering expectations, and offer a variety of services customized to fit your specific needs • Civil Engineering Design • Project and Contract Management • Topographical and Construction Setout Surveying • Geotechnical Investigation • Quality Assurance Compaction Testing and Verification • IANZ Accredited P (06) 843 6996 W civilservices.co.nz Unit 9, 11 Wakefield Street, Onekawa, Napier 4110 Proudly Supporting Bay Planning IDENTIFY CLASSIFY RECTIFY Anna Carter CEnvP (Waikato) 021 819 662 Brendon Love CEnvP SC (Bay of Plenty) 029 633 9577 Sarah Newall CEnvP SC (Hawke’s Bay / Manawatu) 021 414 699 Dave Bull CEnvP SC CCHem (Wellington / Manawatu) 021 036 7764 THE CONTAMINATED SITE CONSULTANCY www.hailenvironmental.co.nz Proudly Supporting Bay Planning Planning at the heart of region There’s a healthy level of interest still in subdivision developments in Hawke’s Bay with land opening up. T T Sue Russell “I think it’s enormously beneficial to everyone when there’s a consistent person guiding the development process through from start to the end of the consenting process.” Hastings Alison Francis’ professional life has always been bent around being a planner, having worked in local government both here and in the UK for the majority of her career, until in 2020, she made the decision to set up her own practice. She’s passionate about the industry and its essential place in enabling growth and development to happen well in a region she loves living and working in. “Most of my work is in Hawke’s Bay with a little up in Tairawhiti/Gisborne and over in Taupo, so we’re working across a broad typography and within different Council development processes. This variety is both challenging and engaging,” Alison says. Alison says there are direct benefits that flow when her connection to a development begins right at the conception stage. Many of her clients understand the inherent value that comes with this early-stage involvement. “I think it’s enormously beneficial to everyone when there’s a consistent person guiding the development process through from start to the end of the consenting process. “We’re responsible for the resource consent application and can assist with input into plans and concepts.” Alison understands that a job that seems to revolve around reports on the page is in fact very much about relationships. “It’s about how you explain what is proposed, the vision and the impact it will have and I find that having good relationships with Council often smooths the waters. I understand this having worked so long in that space.” This experience in Council environments, Alison says, delivers direct benefits to clients. Understanding how local government works ensures applications are prepared correctly, and contributes to constructive engagement with council staff. “Resource consents are a frustrating thing for clients. Often they’re seen as a cost but something I always say is that the process demands working well with Council and engagement with them can be seen as a real opportunity.” She says being positive and having the mindset that sees the process as an opportunity to get exactly what the client wants, while meeting the standards, can make all the difference in the world. A healthy dose of pragmatism is also important. She describes the Bay as a really exciting region, with plenty of opportunities opening up spurred by the new Napier City District Plan which became operative recently. The plan identifies the essential place multi-unit developments have in the city, while there’s a healthy level of interest still in subdivision developments with land opening up. With the devastation wrought in past years by major weather events in the region, Alison says Council is still working on region-wide mitigation. “It’s meant that in some parts of the region you can’t go back and rebuild or live there anymore and Councils are much more engaged in ensuring future development is sustainable.” Alison says a critically important skill as a planner is to understand what has been written and to translate it into manageable and understandable steps for the client to take. “This is where our real value lies in guiding developers through the maze, and breaking steps down into processes we navigate for them.” As for the future, Alison says she’s happy with the small size of the practice. “It has been a bit of a tough economic climate and I know our size has helped in that respect.” “You know planning at first glance looks very black and white but we’re constantly working in the grey. “Your strength is working with the nuances and I enjoy working with clients who are not afraid to have a hard conversation and be upfront; someone who can see the bigger picture and view projects holistically.”
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