Special Counsel, Wellington

Brannavan Gnanalingam

Brannavan Gnanalingham

Profile

Brannavan specialises in property and construction. 

Brannavan has been involved in large scale property acquisitions and infrastructure projects, including negotiating large scale development agreements and construction contracts (including NZS 3910, 3915 and 3916, and FIDIC Yellow Book).  He has also been involved in the negotiation of easements, licences, leases, sale and purchase agreements, residential developments, development finance, and providing detailed advice in respect of seismic issues, Māori land, COVID-19 implications, force majeure, the Public Works Act 1981, and trespass.  He also specialises in property disputes, and has been involved when litigation, insolvency or debt recovery involve property and/or construction (including appearing in the Māori Land Court, High Court, Court of Appeal, Supreme Court, and arbitration). 



Work highlights

Acting for the Department of Internal Affairs (Archives)

in the negotiation of a development agreement and long-term lease for the new National Archives Building in Wellington, and construction contracts for tender at its new Regional Shared Repository (Tāhuhu)

Acting for Ministry of Health, Ministry for Primary Industries, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Department of Internal Affairs, One NZ (formerly Vodafone New Zealand) and CentrePort

in negotiating large-scale development agreements, construction agreements, and agreements to lease for major head office projects

Acting for Waka Kotahi - NZ Transport Agency

in its land acquisition process on a number of its major highway projects, including Takitimu North Link, Manawatū Tararua Highway, and the Peka Peka to Ōtaki Expressway and appearing in the Māori Land Court for key infrastructure

Acting in large-scale project finance projects

including the Ruakura Inland Port (various banks), Mt Cardrona Station development (BNZ) and Todd Property's Ormiston development (ANZ)

Acting for Ministry of Health, Auckland DHB, and Waitemata DHB

in the project finance and development of the Auckland City Mission Building at 140 Hobson Street, Auckland

Acting for various local authorities

including Tauranga City Council in its civic precinct redevelopment, Wellington City Council in the formation of a new reserve, Kāpiti Coast District Council in advice on social housing and acquisitions for infrastructure projects, and Horowhenua District Council in formalising access over Māori land