Hawke's Bay

Civil Engineering in Hawke's Bay

SAE Ltd is based in Napier and holds active project experience across Napier, Hastings, Havelock North, and Central Hawke's Bay.

Local Knowledge

SAE Ltd was founded in Napier in 2021 and operates from Hawke's Bay. Andre Magdich has worked in the region continuously since 2021, both as Director of SAE Ltd and as a Design Engineer at Hawke's Bay Regional Council (HBRC). The HBRC role has provided direct working experience with HBRC's flood control infrastructure - 248 km of stopbank network across the region - and access to HBRC's 2020 LiDAR dataset, which is used on flood assessment and subdivision projects throughout Hawke's Bay.

Cyclone Gabrielle (February 2023) was the defining flood event for Hawke's Bay in recent decades. Andre was involved in the HBRC response - stopbank inspection, damage assessment, and repair prioritisation across the region. SAE's Tukituki River flood assessment was tested by Cyclone Gabrielle: the conservative Q100 of 1,186 m³/s adopted in that assessment proved accurate, and Lots 1-5 had no flooding despite seven upstream stopbank breaches during the event.

SAE is familiar with the specific requirements of NCC Engineering Standards (including SW-S1 stormwater neutrality, introduced 2025), HDC Code of Practice, and the HBRC Flood Control Scheme. Work completed in the region covers Napier infill, Hastings subdivision, and regional infrastructure.

Councils Covered

Napier City Council (NCC)

SW-S1 stormwater neutrality, NCC Engineering Standards, and engineering plan approval (EA prefix). SAE established the SW-S1 stormwater neutrality methodology in 2025 on the first application under that standard - Barker Rd, Napier - and that methodology has since been adopted for subsequent NCC projects.

Hastings District Council (HDC)

HDC Code of Practice, subdivision engineering, and ESCP (Erosion and Sediment Control Plan) requirements. Project experience includes 7-lot subdivisions in Hastings and hillside drainage design in Havelock North.

Hawke's Bay Regional Council (HBRC)

Flood Control Scheme, stopbank design, LiDAR data, and regional consent for discharges. Andre works within HBRC as a Design Engineer - providing direct familiarity with HBRC's flood modelling standards, stopbank assessment procedures, and consent requirements for works in and around the flood control scheme.

Selected Hawke's Bay Projects

Project Type Key detail
Barker Rd, Napier Stormwater neutrality (6 units) First NCC SW-S1 project; 16,000 L detention (4×4,000 L tanks); 13 mm orifices; established NCC methodology
Kennedy Rd, Napier Stormwater neutrality (5 units) NCC SW-S1; 5×2,000 L tanks; 20 mm orifices
Murphy Rd, Taradale 2-lot subdivision NCC SW-S1; 2×2,000 L tanks; 15 mm and 30 mm orifices; 4 L/s discharge cap
Avenue Rd, Napier 4-lot subdivision (low-lying) Floor RL 3.0 m vs ground RL 2.20 m; total discharge 6.9 L/s
Gloucester St, Taradale Secondary dwelling HEC-HMS 10–250-year; datum reconciliation; NCC kerb limit
Tukituki River, Waipukurau Flood hazard assessment Q100 = 894–1,186 m³/s (3 SCS variants); 120 M-point LiDAR; Cyclone Gabrielle validated
Tomoana Rd, Hastings 7-lot subdivision ESCP; infrastructure coordination; HDC consent
Kempton Park Lane, Havelock North Hillside drainage SN8 pipe design; anchor blocks; erosion control

Andre's concurrent role as Design Engineer at HBRC means SAE brings direct knowledge of HBRC's flood control infrastructure, consent processes, and LiDAR data to every Hawke's Bay project. For more on Andre's background, see the About page.

Related Case Studies

Stormwater neutrality

Barker Road, Napier

First NCC SW-S1 project; established methodology

Flood assessment

Tukituki River, Waipukurau

Q100 modelling; Cyclone Gabrielle validated

Planning a project in Hawke's Bay?

SAE Ltd is based in Napier and responds to all Hawke's Bay enquiries within one business day.

Get in touch