Steve Bigwood

Steve joined BBO’s Planning team in 1996 after 6 years with the Matamata-Piako District Council. He has held various planning roles at BBO including Planning Manager for 7 years. Steve became a Director in April 2021, and Managing Director in April 2024. He holds undergraduate and postgraduate planning degrees from the University of Waikato, is a Full Member of the NZ Planning Institute and is a MfE Certified Planning Commissioner.

Steve has over 30 years of in-depth knowledge of resource management and local government processes, with experience in all aspects of planning including the preparation/assessment of resource consents, designation and plan changes; plan and policy preparation/review; implementation and consent condition management; stakeholder engagement; and mediation and negotiation.

He manages large, complex multi-disciplinary planning projects, successfully coordinating input from multiple specialists at any one time, and thereby obtaining stakeholder confidence and buy-in to projects. Steve’s core values and strong morals have earned him the trust and respect of tangata whenua, local authorities, service authorities and community groups.

Steve’s effective consultation skills have also been a contributing factor in successfully obtaining uncontested designation and resource consents for several high-profile state highway improvement projects such as multiple sections of the Waikato Expressway, Takitimu North Link and the Peacocke Strategic Roading Project.