SERVICES
Planning and design for your next project.
Understand what is feasible, compare options and choose a practical way forward. We bring planning, design and spatial expertise to decisions about land, water and development, supporting climate adaptation and the long-term resilience of communities.
Urban Design · Planning · Landscape · Environmental
How we can help
Urban Design
Understand how a proposal will work for people and fit its surroundings.
Urban design assessments and statements.
Masterplans, spatial frameworks and concept options.
Design guidelines and street typologies.
See street typologies for people and nature →
Planning
Understand which planning requirements apply to your project and what they mean for your options.
Resource consent support and assessments of environmental effects.
Planning policy, plan change and design guideline inputs.
Site feasibility, constraints and opportunities assessments, including current and proposed planning provisions.
Consultation and engagement, council liaison and coordination of specialist input.
Goodland: planning and design, ongoing →
Landscape
Shape regenerative landscapes that connect site conditions, water, biodiversity and community use.
Regenerative landscape strategies, concepts and planting plans.
Landscape and visual assessments.
Open space guidelines and tree infrastructure planning.
Pukekawa / Auckland Domain: planting strategy →
Environmental
Use spatial evidence and monitoring to understand catchments, waterways and wider environmental conditions, identify potential hazard exposure and guide investment in nature and climate adaptation.
GIS and remote sensing analysis, with constraints, opportunities and hazard exposure maps using available information.
Nature-based solutions feasibility studies.
Living roof monitoring and technical reporting.
Technical guidance, expert consultation and document delivery, supported by design and imagery.
Aotea Centre: nature-based solutions feasibility →
Central Library: living roof monitoring →
GD19: structural soil tree pit guidance →
Planning reform and regulatory change.
Understand what changing planning requirements mean for a site, programme or investment decision. We assess the rules that apply now and proposed changes, alongside natural hazards, water, infrastructure and design.
Planning reviews: relevant national direction and plan provisions, their implications for development options, and the next steps.
Feasibility and design: constraints and opportunities mapping, concept options, and urban design and landscape assessments.
Policy and consent support: input for plan changes, implementation guidance and resource consent applications, with council liaison and specialist coordination.
For Auckland projects, this includes relevant Plan Change 120 provisions alongside the operative Unitary Plan. Advice is specific to your site, proposal and the stage of the planning process.
Living roofs: research and policy recommendations →
Discuss planning changes with Jon or Zoë →
Data-informed decisions.
We combine GIS, remote sensing and other spatial evidence with professional judgement, local knowledge and your priorities. The result is a clearer view of constraints, opportunities and trade-offs, with the data limitations and further investigation needs made clear.
Ki uta ki tai. From the mountains to the sea.
We consider land, water, ecosystems and communities as connected across the catchment. This wider view informs planning and design decisions about development, ecological restoration and climate adaptation.
Blue-green network planning: spatial assessments and opportunity maps to inform decisions about catchments, waterways, vegetation, public space and climate adaptation.
GIS: mapping of available hazard information, site constraints and opportunities, with spatial analysis and web viewers that make findings easier to use.
Remote sensing: vegetation and land-cover assessments, change maps and monitoring findings to help target further investigation.
Spatial screening helps identify potential exposure and the need for site-specific assessment. Detailed hazard and risk assessments require appropriate specialist inputs.
Planning for resilience means considering how flooding, drought, heat and other environmental pressures could affect a place, its people and its infrastructure. This informs location, layout, planting and the adaptation measures that need further assessment. Regenerative design seeks opportunities to restore ecological function in waterways and landscapes, and strengthen biodiversity.
Recent work
Blue-green networks
Our work with Auckland Council connects waterways, vegetation and public spaces with decisions about ecological restoration, access to nature and climate resilience. Recent projects include regional framework development, a Tātaki Auckland Unlimited venue portfolio assessment and a Manurewa assessment informing street-tree planting priorities. Regional framework development is ongoing.
Structural soil tree pits · GD19
Published Auckland Council guidance for integrating stormwater management with healthy urban trees. Co-authored with Tektus. We ran expert consultation, managed document delivery and created much of the design work and imagery.
Living roof opportunities and recommendations
Auckland Council report TR2026/9 brings together local evidence and recommendations for living roof uptake in Tāmaki Makaurau. Led by Zoë Avery and Jonathon Avery with mana whenua, council, research and industry contributors. We ran expert consultation, managed delivery and created much of the design work and imagery.
Explore the living roof report →
Discuss your mapping or resilience brief →
Start with the decision
Government
Need a consistent basis for development, climate adaptation and investment? We provide evidence reviews, spatial frameworks and implementation guidance that teams can use across sites.
Ngahere Framework: policy into practice →
Kāinga Ora: open space guidance →
Councils
Need to respond to changing planning requirements or prioritise action across places and assets? We bring spatial evidence, planning and design guidance, feasibility studies and monitoring together to support implementation, climate adaptation and long-term resilience.
Tāmaki Makaurau: tree planting priorities →
Central Library: living roof monitoring →
GD19: structural soil tree pit guidance →
Iwi and hapū
Support for papakāinga, community facilities and wider whenua planning, from consultation, spatial analysis and design to economic development and employment strategies.
Whirinaki: papakāinga and economic development →
Te Ahiwaru: Ahi Kaa Framework →
Developers
Need clarity on what can be developed and how to proceed? We assess relevant planning provisions, site constraints and hazard information, then provide feasibility advice, design options, urban design and landscape assessments, and consent documentation.
Goodland: planning and design, ongoing →
Whirinaki: first 12 homes consented →
Talk to us about your project.
Tell us what you’re working on, what you want to achieve and where you need help. Jon or Zoë will talk through the decisions ahead and how our team can support you.