Ben has had involvement, to varying degrees, in the preparation of an extensive range of resource management plans in New Zealand, including: Southland RPS and the Southland Water and Land Plan; QLDC District Plan Review, Otago Proposed RPS, Porirua City Council District Plan Tree Protection; New Plymouth District Plan; Southland District Plan; Canterbury RPS; Northland RPS; Greater Wellington RPS; Otago Regional Council Plan Change 6A; Porirua Plan Change 7 – Wind Farms; Waikato RPS; Horizons One Plan; Horowhenua District Plan; Proposed Rangitikei District Plan; Clutha District Plan Change 23-25 Energy and Utilities; Ruapehu District Plan; Wellington City Council District Plan Changes 72 and 73; Marlborough Sounds Resource Management Plan; Greater Wellington Regional One Plan; Manawatu District Plan; Kapiti Coast District Plan; Hurunui District Plan; South Taranaki District Plan; Upper Hutt and Lower Hutt Combined District Plan Changes; Auckland Unitary Plan; Hutt City Council Subdivision & Central Area District Plan Changes; Combined Wairarapa District Plans; Palmerston North District Plan; Upper Hutt City District Plan; Selwyn District Plan.

• Queenstown Lakes Proposed District Plan (for various tourism operators and landowners)

• Simmons House Lake Ohau ONL (for the applicant)

• Wanaka Water Sports Facility (for Save Wanaka Lakefront)

• Around the Mountains Cycle Trail (for Fish & Game NZ)

• Blueskin Windfarm (for the Blueskin resilient trust)

• QLDC District Plan Change 50 (for various property owners)

• Porirua District Plan Change 7 (for NZWEA, Meridian Energy and other power companies)

• Proposed Horizons One Plan (for NZWEA)

• Proposed Ruapehu District Plan (for NZWEA)

• Hutt City Council - Richmond Street Apartments (for Hutt City Council)

In late 2013 Ben was seconded to the Environmental Protection Authority to assist the EPA implement its new consenting functions required under the Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects) Act (the EEZ Act).  During this time Ben also provided the EPA with an independent review of Anadarko’s Impact Assessment for its exploratory drilling campaign in the Canterbury Basin. From 2010 to 2013 Ben represented NZWEA engaging with a variety of key stakeholders* in regard to potential RMA reforms, the monitoring and implementation of national and regional policy statements, the development of non-statutory policy guidance, investigation into the development of new national environmental standards, the Heritage NZ Pouhere Taonga Bill, and the New Zealand productivity commission’s review of local government regulation.Ben has been involved, to varying degrees, in the preparation of the following:

• Quality Planning Guidance Notes: review and updating QP guidance notes in response to the RMA Amendment Act 2013 (MfE)

• Wind farm development in New Zealand; a framework for best practice 2013 (NZWEA)

• NPS Renewable Electricity Generation 2011 (MfE, MED); Monitoring and Evaluation Plan for the NPS Renewable Electricity Generation (MfE); NPS Electricity Generation Implementation Guide 2011 (MfE); and the NPS Renewable Electricity Generation Technical Guide 2013 (EECA);

• NZ Coastal Policy Statement non-statutory guidance 2013 (DOC)

• RMA Resource Reform Bill 2012

• Report of the Minister for the Environment’s RMA 1991 principles technical advisory group 2012 (MfE)

• Draft Best Practice Guidelines for Biodiversity Offsetting 2012 (DOC)

• Northland, Auckland, and Waikato Conservation Management Strategies 2012 (DOC)

• Heritage NZ Pouhere Taonga Bill 2011

• Proposed NES Plantation Forestry 2010 (MfE)Proposed NPS for Indigenous Biodiversity 2010 (MfE)

Working for the EPA, Ben reviewed and assessed inaugural marine consent applications lodged win the EPA in 2013 in relation to the Chatham Rock Phosphate and Trans-Tasman Resources proposals.

Ben was actively involved in the following projects:

• New Zealand Wind Farm Development: A framework for best practice 2013 (Primary Author)

• Built Heritage Study of the Orongorongo Valley 2013 (Project Manager)

• Plimmerton Boating Club Strategic Plan 2012 (Author)

• An assessment of the relevant Council policy provisions for the renewal or disposal of the old Paekakariki Children’s Playground 2011 (Author)

• Review of the Canterbury Land and Water Strategy for Land Information New Zealand, 2010

• SH2 Melling-Hayward’s Interchange Options Investigation, 2009

• Great Harbour Way Feasibility Study, 2009

• Upper Hutt City Council’s Southern Hills Environmental Management Study, 2008

• Marlborough Sounds Boat Accommodation Study, 2007

• Wellington Regional Western Corridor Transportation Study, 2005

• E-Planning for the Ministry for the Environment, 2006

• Wellington City Councils Wellington North Public Transportation Review, 2006

• Transit New Zealand’s Road Toll Systems Project, 2004

• Wellington City Council’s Lambton Quay Project Upgrade, 2004-2005

• Transpower’s Design Guide for Development Near High Voltage Transmission Lines, 2006

• Sustainability Reporting in New Zealand, Assessing Progress 2002 (co-author)

• Stakeholders such as Ministers (current and former), Members of Parliament, Officials at the Ministry for the Environment, Department of Conservation, Ministry for Business Innovation and Employment, EECA, electricity generators, Transpower, local government, and expert environmental planners and lawyers.