Ken Gimblett named a Fellow of the New Zealand Planning Institute

The designation of Fellow of the New Zealand Planning Institute is the highest professional membership grade. A fellow is someone who has made a major personal contribution to the planning profession.

Ken Gimblett has been a practicing Planner for over thirty years and is recognised as a leader in the profession. He is called on to offer strategic advice for complex, unique and challenging projects. His on-going influence is illustrated by his valuable contribution of planning expertise during the Christchurch post-earthquake recovery work, and his 18 years’ involvement with the RMA ‘Making Good Decisions’ programme.

He is an industry leader in statutory and environmental planning, effects assessment, policy analysis, plan preparation and administration, and public consultation.

Ken joined Boffa Miskell in 1998 and has prepared numerous resource consent and plan change applications and their associated assessments of environmental effects; and provided advice to government departments and agencies. This experience includes projects and policies with high levels of public and legal scrutiny.

Most notably, in the aftermath of the Christchurch Earthquakes, Ken’s leadership was critical in setting a regulatory framework to deliver the Blueprint and wider recovery outcomes. Working with and alongside the “Blueprint 100” consortia, Ken was engaged by CERA to assist in preparing a comprehensive package of planning provisions for the central city area within the 100-day timeframe, under the direction of the Minister of Earthquake Recovery to amend the Christchurch District Plan to implement the Christchurch Central and Land Use Recovery Plans.

At the same time, Ken contributed planning advice and expertise into development of the Christchurch Central Recovery Plan and the Christchurch Central Development Unit for the Minister for Earthquake Recovery in respect to Central City residential, business and mixeduse environments. Ken was appointed to the Joint Management Board (in partnership with Christchurch City Council and Ngai Tahu) to determine matters under urban design and outline development plan related rules now contained within the Christchurch District (City) Plan. Ken chaired the JMB on the majority of central city redevelopment and recovery proposals from 2012 until it was disestablished.

Ken prepared the consent applications and related documentation for the earliest ‘Anchor Projects’, including the Christchurch Justice and Emergency Services Precinct and the Christchurch Hospital Redevelopment - Acute Services Building. Ken’s extensive knowledge of the historical planning framework in Christchurch and his experience working within the bespoke post-earthquake legislative context is unparalleled.

Ken regularly acts as principal planning lead and/or project director, managing specialist input from multiple disciplines across a diverse range of organisations. He has performed this role on modest projects comprising four to six discipline inputs, through to international based-consortia projects involving more than 12-15 specialist fields of input.

As an accredited RMA decision-maker since 2005, Ken regularly acts as an independent Hearing Commissioner, and as an expert planning witness before Council hearings and the Environment Court. As Hearing Commissioner, Ken has considered a wide range of proposals, including business parks and recreational airports, residential and commercial developments, leisure and recreation proposals and Three Waters infrastructure.

Ken is a planning advisor services and commissioner to a range of public and private organisations including Meridian Energy, Oceana Gold, Housing New Zealand, Department of Corrections, Health NZ, Environment Canterbury, CERA/CCDU (now disestablished) and Christchurch City Council.

Ken has natural affinity and proven abilities to engage with diverse organisations to develop integrated results that enable flexible and creative environmental solutions.