Strategic Advice, Project Strategy and Route and Site Selection
We have proven experience in planning and project managing the route and site selection, property, consenting, stakeholder engagement and the communication work streams of major infrastructure projects. This includes the budgeting, programming, law, governance, and risk and contractor/ consultant management. Our multi-disciplinary approach and decision-making processes are underpinned by the Agile and Lean methods to prevent waste and to build certainty for investment.
We locate and design routes and sites in a way that consistently gains stakeholder acceptance, consents and property rights on time and within budget. The location and design of proposals are optimised by breaking these down into smaller, comparable parts and continuously fine-tuning them in response to expert advice, stakeholder feedback and a reverse-engineered programme which matches engagement and other workstreams with construction deadlines, regulatory timeframes and stakeholder needs.
Contact the team
Laurence Sherriff
Founder/ Managing Director
Mike Robinson
Group Manager - Commercial
Case Studies
110 kV Line Route Selection, Consenting and Easement Acquisition
Align was appointed by Waipa Networks to plan and manage the route/ site selection, property, consenting, stakeholder engagement and communication work streams to construct a 35 km 110 kV high voltage electricity transmission line between the Te Awamutu and Hangatiki substations. This included the budgeting, programming, law, governance, risk and contractor/ consultant management.
The route was optimised by breaking it down into smaller and comparable parts and fine-tuning it in response to expert advice, and landowner and affected party feedback. The work and stakeholder engagement were scheduled by combining the main work streams and reverse engineering the critical path in line with construction deadlines, regulatory timeframes and stakeholders needs and influences. Our project management was underpinned by the Agile method.
The project was completed on time and within budget. A council hearing was held at which four objectors appeared. The matter did not go to the Environment Court, which is unusual for a project of this nature and scale. A survey was completed after the project and most stakeholders indicated that Align had acted fairly and with integrity.
Auckland Light Rail Alliance
The Auckland Light Rail project is proposed to aid the future expansion of Auckland’s mass transit system with a light rail network. Light Rail will expand Auckland’s rapid transit network, which already moves thousands of people, to make Tāmaki Makaurau a better place to live now and in the future. The Auckland Light Rail team is a collaboration between Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency, Auckland Transport, Auckland Council, the Ministry of Transport and Kāinga Ora.
The initial corridor stretches from Auckland’s City Centre to Māngere. Light Rail between the City Centre and Māngere is the first spine of a proposed wider rapid transport network for Auckland, which has also been identified by the Crown and Auckland Council as an enabler of higher density and better-quality urban development, leading to stronger communities, greater vitality and attractive compact urban form. The City Centre to Māngere line will be a 24-kilometre-long rail connection comprising 18 stations. It will improve transport choices and make Tāmaki Makaurau a better place to live now and for future generations.
The Align property team is providing extensive services to Auckland Light Rail, mainly supporting the outcomes of the property programme. This work includes property due diligence, desktop research, property ownership analysis, site selection, risk assessment and property cost estimate forecasting.