FROM COUNCIL GATEKEEPER TO DEVELOPER ADVOCATE

35 Years Of Planning Authority

Gulab Bilimoria is the Principal Planner and founder of Bilimoria Consulting. His career is defined by a unique advantage: he knows exactly how the Council thinks because he used to lead them.

GULAB BILIMORIA

Founder & Principal Consultant

For over two decades, Gulab served as the Planning Guidance Manager for Hamilton City Council. He was responsible for the teams processing thousands of resource consents, giving him unmatched insight into the internal machinery of local government.

Since moving to private practice in 2010, Gulab has applied that inside knowledge to secure consents for some of the Waikato's most significant projects. From 100+ lot master-planned communities and high-density apartments to hazardous industrial precincts and sensitive community infrastructure, he specialises in navigating the Resource Management Act (RMA) to deliver results where others stall.

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND

Distinguished Service Award Winner (2009) – New Zealand Planning Institute

Humphrey Fellow & Fulbright Alumnus – Institute of International Education (USA)

Full Member – New Zealand Planning Institute (MNZPI)

EDUCATION

Post-Graduate Urban Planning – Hunter College, City University of New York (1985)

Diploma in Land Surveying – University of Otago

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07 929 1565

SPECIALIST CAPABILITIES

We go beyond standard planning. Our practice specialises in high-stakes technical consents that require multi-disciplinary coordination and rigorous adherence to the Resource Management Act (RMA).

HIGH-DENSITY RESIDENTIAL

Expert management of intensification projects, including multi-unit apartments and infill housing. We handle complex acoustic insulation requirements for highway boundaries and geotechnical constraints to maximise yield on challenging sites.

SENSITIVE COMMUNITY ASSETS

Securing consents for "Non-Complying" activities such as places of assembly, mosques, and childcare centres. We navigate reverse sensitivity issues to successfully integrate community hubs into residential and industrial zones.

INDUSTRIAL RISK MANAGEMENT

Technical planning for heavy industry and service stations. We manage hazardous substance storage, spill containment, and soil contamination remediation (NES) to ensure environmental safety and council compliance.

INFRASTRUCTURE & SIGNAGE

Planning for commercial infrastructure, including high-intensity digital billboard networks. We coordinate traffic safety assessments and encroachment licences for high-volume transport corridors.

OUR MISSION

We do not believe in just "filling forms." We believe in strategy. Whether you are navigating a Non-Complying Activity, managing hazardous substances, or maximising yield on a constrained site, we identify the exact legal pathway to get your "Yes" without unnecessary delays or public notification.

CORE VALUES:

Regulatory Authority

We do not guess what the Council wants. We know. Our advice is built on 35 years of interpreting, enforcing, and applying the rules, giving you certainty from day one.

Commercial Reality

We understand that in development, time is money. We design every application to avoid unnecessary notification delays and maximise the yield of your land.

Honest Feasibility

If a project is not viable, we will tell you upfront. We do not believe in leading clients down expensive dead ends. We provide clear, strategic pathways to a "Yes."