Greg Milner-White

Greg Milner-White is a senior associate in our Auckland office in the Environment and Resources group. He acts for local authority, developer and network operator clients on a variety of RMA and Public Works Act matters including Environment Court/ High Court appeals and claims in the Land Valuation Tribunal. Greg has also acted on two substantial negligence claims in the context of resource consent applications.

Greg’s experience includes resource consent appeals, plan changes and designation issues. Examples of recent work includes:


 acting for Taupo District Council (as applicant) on the East Urban Lands development on the outskirts of Taupo. This involved successfully securing land use consents for a master planned 200 ha subdivision (up to 2200 lots) and town centre development including a campus precinct

 representing a major network operator relating to a contentious proposal to erect a cellphone site in the lower South Island

 advising Waitakere Properties Limited on consent applications to establish a marine industrial precinct on the former Hobsonville Airbase in West Auckland. This involved complex planning and public works act issues, governance advice and legal review of coastal occupation and use consents

 advising a network operator on powers of compulsory acquisition under the RMA and public works legislation including contentious lease negotiations

 advising McDonald’s in relation to consent applications and resource management issues relating to restaurants and developments around New Zealand

 defending a major contractor on RMA charges concerning discharge of sewerage to the Manawatu River catchment (our client was acquitted following a 4 day defended hearing)

 acting for Waitakere City Council on plan changes notified under the Local Government Auckland Amendment Act 2005 relating to the rezoning of New Lynn town centre and changes to urban design rules.

Greg has also acted for a regional council on the sale and purchase of water rights and associated regulatory issues. He has advised Wiri Oil Services (responsible for supply of aviation fuel to Auckland International Airport) on a major designation project and associated regulatory issues.

He has undertaken environmental auditing and due diligence projects on behalf of large corporate and industrial clients.

Greg also has a background in property and commercial litigation, including acting for the Crown in the UK. He has extensive public inquiry experience having worked on the Bloody Sunday Inquiry and the Shipman Inquiry in London.

He has a particular interest in climate change law and policy has been published in the New Zealand Journal of Environmental Law on trade and climate change issues and the implications of carbon forestry under the Kyoto Protocol.