Environment Court Judge John Treadwell, QSO, died today after a brief illness.
Judge Treadwell was first appointed chairman of the Special Town and Country Planning Appeal Board in 1972 and served on the appeal board and Planning Tribunal until 1996.
He was then appointed an Environment Court judge until his
death.
In 1997, he was awarded a Companion of the Queen's Service Order (QSO) for his services to environmental law.
Principal Environment Court Judge John Bollard acknowledged Judge Treadwell's "significant" contribution to the court "over such a remarkable and sustained period" of 31 years.
"In particular, Judge Treadwell fulfilled a notable role in successive phases of jurisprudential development following introduction of the revised Town and Country Planning Act in 1977 and then the Resource Management Act in 1991," Judge Bollard said in a statement.
Judge Treadwell presided over a number of high profile cases, including the Clyde Dam litigation.
His last reported ruling was made as recently as August 1, when he was involved in a dispute between Kapiti Coast District Council and Waikanae Maori group Takamore Trustees over a proposed road.
It was ruled that a Notice of Requirement for Kapiti's proposed Western Link Rd should be confirmed.
The group opposed the 15km proposed road between Raumati South and Peka Peka, because they claimed it would destroy burial sites which oral history suggested existed.
Judge Treadwell is survived by his wife Colleen, four children and several grandchildren.
- NZPA
