On 15 June 2026, the 188 Beaumont Street project expert panel will commence work. The panel consists of:
Jennifer Caldwell (Chair)
Jennifer is a senior partner and Auckland practice leader of Buddle Findlay's dedicated environment and resource management team. Jennifer has over 30 years' experience in environmental law and litigation, including strategic management, oversight and leadership of complex consenting projects.
Jennifer has led the consenting phase of many infrastructure projects over the course of her career. Since returning from overseas in 2012, Jennifer's work has focused particularly on designation for transport corridors (all modes, including rapid transit), electricity transmission consenting, and statutory planning processes to support infrastructure and housing development. She played a key role in advising Auckland Council on the promulgation of and hearing process for the Auckland Unitary Plan, and more recently provided detailed advice on the preparation of Specified Development Projects under the Urban Development Act 2020. Jennifer has held leadership positions on two professional services alliances (East West Link and Te Tupu Ngātahi | Supporting Growth).
Under the COVID-19 Recovery (Fast-track Consenting) Act 2020, Jennifer successfully supported applicants to obtain approvals for a wastewater network capacity expansion, a shared-use path project and several State Highway upgrades. She was also appointed by the EPA to chair an expert panel on a residential subdivision application.
As well as her advisory and advocacy work, Jennifer is a member of the Property Council New Zealand Advisory Group, an associate member of the New Zealand Planning Institute, and served on the National Executive of the Resource Management Law Association for a number of years. Jennifer was a member of the Infrastructure New Zealand delegation to Ireland, Northern Ireland and Denmark in 2024, and is in high demand as a speaker at conferences in relation to infrastructure consenting and delivery and resource management law reform.
Karyn Kurzeja
Karyn Kurzeja is a qualified planner and sole Director of Purpose Planning. Karyn has more than 25 years’ experience in the areas of urban and statutory planning, policy making and plan development. She has extensive experience in large scale residential and rural subdivision projects, medium density housing developments, greenfield growth projects and plan change rezoning applications.
Karyn is an experienced hearings commissioner and is regularly appointed to chair both resource consent and plan change hearings for Auckland Council. She also provides independent hearing commissioner services to Tauranga City Council and Hamilton City Council. Karyn has been appointed to several Fast-track applications in various roles including as an expert panel member, independent facilitator for expert conferencing, expert planner and as a conditions writer.
Karyn is a full member of the NZ Planning Institute and a member of the Resource Management Law Association. Karyn has been an accredited commissioner under the Ministry for the Environment's Making Good Decisions Programme for over 10 years and has held Chairing endorsement since 2020.
Lisa Mein
Lisa is a qualified Urban Designer and Planner with over 29 years’ experience in New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Ireland. In 2019, following 15 years at Boffa Miskell Ltd, she established her own boutique urban design and planning practice. She is a founding member and inaugural chair of the Urban Designers Institute Aotearoa, a professional registration body to recognise qualified and experienced urban designers.
Lisa is a certified Resource Management Hearings Commissioner. She was first accredited in 2016 and has maintained certification since, most recently in 2024. She is a current member of both the Auckland Council and Queenstown Lakes District Council Hearings Panels. Lisa is familiar with the FTAA and has been a panel member for applications under that act.
Lisa has considerable experience in an advisory capacity for Urban Design Review Panels, including as a regular Chair on the Auckland Urban Design Panel, the Auckland Housing Programme Design Review Panel and the Tāmaki Design Review Panel. In addition, she regularly provides advice to Auckland Council and developers on urban design matters for development proposals, often presenting urban design evidence at Council hearings and to the Environment Court.
Register of interests
The register records all relevant panel members' interests. It is updated, when necessary, throughout the consenting process.