Leith Consulting helps make community a better place

Josh and Monique Leith with son Manaaki.

There was quite a bit of excitement when Monique and Josh Leith found out their company was a finalist in the Electra Business and Innovation Awards.

"Josh and I were in hospital at the time having just been through a 40 hour marathon birth welcoming our son Manaaki into the world.

"We were stoked to receive the news about being finalists in two categories particularly among the strong competition we were up against."

The couple spearhead Leith Consulting, based in Ihakara St, Paraparaumu.

"We are a team of environmental planners and land surveyors who manage and lead land development projects from concept to completion.

"We are commonly involved in all types of land surveying, obtaining resource consents, and completing subdivision developments."

Electra Business & Innovation Awards logo.

The company's rise to be one of the leading exponents in its field is impressive.

At just two years into their journey, Leith Consulting has grown to a team of 10, with four planners, five surveyors and an office coordinator.

Monique, the director and principal planner, started the company in 2019 as a bespoke planning service.

It quickly expanded into land surveying and project management.

Along with Josh, the business operations expert, and their dedicated team, they manage and lead subdivision and land development projects from start to finish.

Monique worked for many years in the engine rooms of local government, including Kapiti and Horowhenua councils, and developed an unshakable love of helping locals achieve their goals.

Josh worked in the health and disability sector for a long time, supporting people with mental and physical challenges break down disabling barriers in the community.

These shared beliefs underpin some of the company's values.

Importantly the company's planners have lots of experience in local government too which gives them an in-depth knowledge of the rules and regulations and how they are interpreted by councils.

"This gives us the upper edge in guiding projects through the regulatory system and consenting legislation down the path of least resistance to obtain council approvals," Monique said.

"Our surveying team has a diverse skillset," Josh adds.

"We gather spatial information on site, assess the legal, topographical and engineering constraints, and create environmentally thoughtful designs while maximising the development potential of our clients' land.

"We get the job done, but importantly, we identify development fishhooks or feasibility issues early on."

Not a bad place to work.

Some of the company's interesting projects have included the redevelopment of the Our Lady of Fatima Church site in Waikanae following the opening of Our Lady of Kāpiti Parish in Paraparaumu.

And they were the lead consultants for Anderson Park Estates — a major new residential subdivision development in Waikanae comprising 62-lots, new road, extensive reserve areas, and new walkways / cycleways linking Ferndale in the north to Waikanae Park in the south.

Bringing their local knowledge to projects throughout the Wellington and Manawatū regions doesn't stop there.

The team regularly contributes to community work that involves providing professional services on a pro-bono basis and financial contributions to a number of charities and community groups.

A few examples of their pro-bono work include leading the development of a new national community hub for local animal rescue charity Huha as well as securing a variety of consents and permits for the Paraparaumu Beach Saturday Markets when they needed to relocate from a private carpark to Maclean St.

"As a team, we feel very proud of our collective support to these community and charitable organisations," Monique said.

"Our philosophy is that by helping them, we are helping build thriving communities."