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Urgent action is needed to address the looming shortage of sand needed for building and infrastructure, the quarry industry says.
Auckland ran out of sand for construction before Christmas last year and further shortfalls could impact building and roading projects across the upper North Island.
Aggregate & Quarry Association chief executive Wayne Scott said he had written to the previous government almost a year ago warning of looming shortages and seeking solutions.
"The sector has done a good job at trying to cover for shortfalls, particularly in Auckland and Waikato. One major supplier is ramping up manufactured sand supply to be more readily available from mid-year," he said.
However, he believed ministerial intervention was now needed to solve the problem.
"This [shortage] will impact across transport, infrastructure, economic development, housing and much more. We know this is not of the government's making but interim solutions are desperately needed. The quarry industry has done all it can to issue the warnings and meet the shortfall but it's beyond us to resolve."
Several factors were causing the shortage but Scott said a key issue was delays in renewing resource consents for coastal sand north of Auckland, which used to supply half the region's construction sand.
"Interim consenting now sees less than a third being provided."
Minister for Transport and Auckland Simeon Brown said the issued raised by the Aggregate & Quarry Association were serious.
"I am concerned by any supply chain issues that might affect the construction or maintenance of important infrastructure projects, including roads. The coalition government wants to see a transport system that boosts productivity and economic growth and allows New Zealanders to get to where they want to go, quickly and safely."
He pointed to the RMA reforms Minister Chris Bishop was leading and said the fast-track legislation will help unlock the consents to not only build infrastructure sooner, but ensure the availability of materials needed to build those important infrastructure projects.
Scott said the new National Policy Statements on Highly Productive Land and Indigenous Biodiversity were also holding up resource consent applications for a number of potential sand extraction operations.
"Unless there is urgent action to allow resource consents to proceed and resolve issues relating to extraction off the coast near Mangawhai, construction projects across the upper North Island will suffer delays waiting for sand and concrete."
Sand is needed for manufacturing concrete and building roads.
Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk said he was aware that there were concerns around potential product shortages for sand.
"As this is a developing situation, I am getting updates from officials and the Critical Materials Taskforce is monitoring the situation closely," he said.
He welcomed all feedback on potential mitigation's to reduce the impact of building material shortages in the future.
"This government is committed to removing barriers to building, such as shortages of build materials to make it easier for the sector to deliver the affordable housing that Kiwis deserve."
