Resource Consent Granted for One of Our Most Significant Projects to Date

We’re proud to announce that resource consent has officially been granted for one of the largest and most complex projects we've had the privilege to design, a new temple and cultural facility in Drury, South Auckland.

Our client’s vision was clear from the beginning: to create a space for spiritual gathering, cultural connection, and community wellbeing. Achieving that vision has required careful planning, open collaboration, and an unwavering commitment to doing things right, even when the path isn’t easy.

This proposal involved a wide scope of consenting matters, including earthworks, stormwater management, traffic considerations, signage, and streamworks. The application underwent a full public hearing process with submissions from across the community, both in support and opposition.

After months of hard work, the Auckland Council Hearing Commissioners have confirmed that the development can proceed, recognising that:

• It will support the social and cultural wellbeing of its community;

• It has been carefully designed to preserve the rural character of the site and mitigate environmental effects;

• With proper conditions in place, traffic, noise, and visual impacts can be appropriately managed;

• And overall, it represents a net gain in biodiversity and ecological values.

This was not a straightforward process. The application required collaboration across multiple disciplines, strong technical and environmental evidence, and resilience in the face of opposition. Some objections raised legitimate planning questions, others unfortunately reflected deeper tensions within society.

As a practice, we stay focused on the facts and the design. We are here to serve our clients' visions, no matter how complex, and to navigate New Zealand’s planning system with rigour, integrity, and care.

To our client: thank you for your trust in us.

To our project team: thank you for your incredible persistence and professionalism.

To the Auckland Council and commissioners: thank you for your thorough review and fair consideration.

We look forward to seeing this special place come to life.

For more information on the project visit: https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/indonz/568557/hindu-temple-in-south-auckland-gets-resource-consent-amid-local-opposition