Ellie Taffs is a senior associate in Bell Gully’s market-leading resource management practice. She advises on various resource management matters and has consenting experience in a range of industries, including water takes, ports, quarrying and wind farms. She has an honours degree in engineering which enables her to quickly appreciate project issues, and to become the key legal contact in a consenting team for particularly technical issues.
Contact Ellie
Ellie is an experienced resource management lawyer with experience advising clients across a range of industries.
Work highlights
Port Marlborough New Zealand
Port Marlborough New Zealand on the consenting of the port redevelopment at Picton under the Covid-19 Fast Track Consenting regime. This application was one of the first to be processed under the fast track regime, and was granted.
Transpower
Transpower on the highly contentious application for resource consent to realign the Hairini-Mt Maunganui A (HAI-MTM A) 110kV transmission line, which currently traverses the Maungatapu Peninsula, Rangataua Bay Estuary and Matapihi, including appearing for Transpower in the High Court. Also acting for Transpower as an interested party in the application to the High Court by Ngā Pāpaka o Rangataua for wāhi tapu protection rights over this area under the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Act 2011.
ECESS Incorporated
As junior counsel in the Environment Court representing ECESS Incorporated in relation to applications by Waimakariri Irrigation Limited for consents to construct water storage dams at Burnt Hill, North Canterbury to retain a combined volume of approximately 8.2 million cubic metres.
Rapaki Natural Resources
As junior counsel in the High Court representing Rapaki Natural Resources in the high profile judicial review brought by Aotearoa Water Action Incorporated challenging the decision of the Canterbury Regional Council to allow consents originally granted for use in a meat scour and wool processing plant to be used by Rapaki for water bottling instead.
Meridian Energy Limited
Meridian Energy Limited in the consenting of the Mill Creek and Hurunui wind farms, including appearing as junior counsel in the direct referral hearing for Project Hurunui.
Oceania Dairy Limited
Oceania Dairy Limited in the consenting of an ocean outfall pipeline for milk powder process water discharge at Glenavy, South Canterbury.
Canterbury Road Metals
Canterbury Road Metals in the consenting of the contentious ‘RM4’ quarry extension in Canterbury, including appearing at the council level hearing and at the Environment Court mediation on appeal, and in ongoing consenting issues connected to traffic and dust matters at other CRM quarries.
Harewood Gravels Company Limited
Harewood Gravels Company Limited in the consenting of quarries in the rural outskirts of Christchurch, including an appeal to the High Court against the Environment Court decision.
Trustees of the Gammack Estate
Trustees of the Gammack Estate in relation to its water permits in Selwyn, and to its application to the High Court to amend its trust Deed under the Charitable Trusts Act 1957.
Kate Sheppard Joint Venture
Kate Sheppard Joint Venture in applications to consent a new multi-storey office building in Wellington, including appearing as junior counsel at the council level hearing.
Chelsea Sugar
Chelsea Sugar in relation to the reconsenting of its Birkenhead refinery’s air discharge, including appearing as junior counsel at the council level hearing.
Nelson Regional Sewerage Business Unit
Nelson Regional Sewerage Business Unit in the reconsenting of coastal discharge consents for the Bell Island wastewater treatment plant in the Waimea Inlet, a significant infrastructure asset which processes sewage for a domestic population of 133,000 people.