MANGAWHAI'S NO.1 NEWSPAPER
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Move north for family and work opportunitiesJULIA WADE
With over 15 years of experience in a variety of planning roles including environmental, resource consents and policy, planning consultant Vishal Chandra, owner of VUrbs Planning Services Limited, brings a wealth of experience for local clients seeking his services, as well as passion for achieving the best results. The diverse range of services in the planning profession such as land use, subdivision consenting, infrastructure, and plan development and policy making, is what first attracted him to the work Chandra says, ‘and has also kept me going’. “Playing a key role in achieving outcomes for people and the environment, now and in the future, is what I am proud to represent as a planner, both for local government and private clients.” Local residents since last August, Chandra and his young family left the deep south seasons of Otago to enjoy Northland’s warmer weather, to seek alternative work opportunities as well as to live closer to extended whanau. Family he says is central to his rich cultural heritage. “I have a pacific background with connections back to the islands and proud to represent my culture and beliefs which are similar to our local native practices in Aotearoa, where everything coexists and has a life-force,” he says. “Our immediate family includes children, parents, siblings, partner, grandparents, uncles, aunties and cousins, and traditionally and within New Zealand we have always lived in an extended family… we also have communal ownership of material items but also of children, where a whole family brings up the young ones.” Chandra’s Indian heritage, he says, shows through his family’s love of colourful festivals, passed on from earlier generations as a way for family to come together for food, music and dance; ‘they’re big for us’. Due to his pacific background he says he is drawn to the water, especially sports with an adrenaline kick such as rowing, rafting and surfing. “Though I also enjoy the more casual easy kayak with the young ones, a swim or classic kiwi beach barbecue, volleyball or touch game,” he says. “However coming from Queenstown, I admit I have westernised a bit though – I also like winter sports, coffee and wine. My wife and I are also huge travellers and before lockdown work has taken me on a voyage across Aotearoa and the Pacific Islands.” VUrbs Planning Consultancy offers services for preparing plan changes and resource consents as well as writing submissions to consents, notices and plan changes, consultation and engagement, property due diligence and peer reviews. “With such diversity in projects there have been many challenges especially with competing needs associated with economic and social outcomes, appreciation of heritage and cultural values and protection of the natural systems,” he says. “I have worked with many communities in delivering their desired goals and while diversity in projects and communities are educational, the satisfaction of being able to achieve a balanced outcome for clients trumps any pressures of the process.” „ For contact ph 027 886 4181 vishal@vurbs.co.nz |