Major Projects &
Environmental Impact Assessment
A modern approach to major project development requires experience of both planning laws and the critical environmental issues likely to be assessed and contested, such as contamination, biodiversity, water, emissions and noise.
Having a legal perspective of both construction and operational environmental conditions is critical at the project development phase to ensure success and compliance over the lifetime of a project.
Gabrielle's breadth of expertise, including insight advising objectors to major projects, means that she is attuned to the risks of merits appeals and judicial review and potential objections during other planning processes, such as Planning Panels.
Early and effective stakeholder engagement is an essential ingredient of contemporary project success.
A major threat to projects in environmental impact assessment and planning processes is from legal challenges by objectors.
G A B R I E L L E G U T H R I E
Legal Services
Gabrielle advises on a broad range of major projects such as renewables infrastructure, public transport infrastructure, linear utilities infrastructure and significant projects such as mine remediation and rehabilitation. She regularly advises on large infrastructure development projects requiring numerous planning permits and other state and federal approvals, such as EPBC approvals.
As well as advising proponents on major projects, Gabrielle regularly undertakes legal due diligence and advice on planning and environmental approvals to purchasers, investors, financiers and vendors of major projects.
Recent Experience
Advising on the development of Melbourne Airport Rail
Advising on 15+ wind and solar farm projects (and counting) across NSW, QLD, VIC, TAS
Advising on the environmental approvals process for offshore renewables under Offshore Electricity Infrastructure Act 2021 (OEI Act) which commenced on 2 June 2022 under State and Commonwealth environmental laws
Solicitor on record in Supreme Court and VCAT litigation in relation to the East West Link (including Moonee Valley City Council v Minister for Planning and Linking Melbourne Authority)
Advising on decommissioning of a major Victorian coal mine site;
Advising on the Victorian Desalination Pipeline and interface works
Successfully advising objector group in relation to a Planning Scheme Amendment for a major development of a site on a former sand quarry and putrescible landfill;
Advised consortia operators and shareholders in relation to environment and planning aspects of tram infrastructure and operation
In the UK - advising on the development of the Port of Felixstowe and related branch line (UK), and also the Crossrail Project
Major Project Update: A case study review of Melbourne Airport's Third Runway Development – Professional Environmental Women’s Association of Australia (PEWA) – May 2022
Engaging with Stakeholders: How to avoid a Project Disaster - Australasian Land & Groundwater Association (ALGA) Melbourne Branch – October 2019
Major Infrastructure Projects and Contamination risk – 2019 Australasian Land & Groundwater Association (ALGA)
Legal risk in major project planning and EIA processes - Professional Environmental Women’s Association of Australia (PEWA) – April 2017
