Sam Benson

We’re delighted to announce that Sam Benson has rejoined HG as a Senior Planner in our Auckland Planning team, based in Parnell.

Sam previously spent seven years with HG before heading to London, where he worked as a planner at the London Borough of Ealing Council. While he loved the vibrancy of the UK, he’s more than happy to leave the winters behind.

Sam holds a Bachelor of Planning (BPlan) and is a member of both NZPI (Intermediate) and RMLA. He brings a wealth of experience from both the private and public sectors, having worked on resource consents for private developers, infrastructure providers, and local authorities, including the Auckland Council and Queenstown Lakes District Council.

Project highlights

• Consenting the Hobsonville Point Marine Recreation Centre – this involved navigating a public notification and appeal process to obtain the necessary coastal permits for exclusive occupation of the coastal marine area

• Preparing the Private Plan Change for the Northern Precinct of the Titanium Park – the rezoning of 130 hectares around Hamilton Airport of rurally zoned land to become a continuation of the business park.

• Extensive experience preparing, processing and leading resource consent applications for large-scale residential, commercial, and infrastructure projects across New Zealand

• Council planner for all pre-application and concept development stages for the proposed Cyrus One Data Centre in London, which is set to become one of the largest hyperscale data centres in Europe.

Outside the office, Sam plays bass in the alt-rock band No Cigar, known for its blend of rock and indie grooves. And when he’s not planning or performing, he enjoys getting out on the water - whether that be sailing, fishing, or skiing.