Covid 19 Coronavirus: Fast-track consent for 'shovel-ready' projects

A new fast-track consenting process will approve "shovel-ready" infrastructure projects in as few as 25 days, the Government says.

Cabinet approved changes to the Resource Management Act last week and legislation is expected to be passed in June.

The changes will allow Environment Minister David Parker to determine which projects can be fast-tracked, overseen by an expert panel.

Once a project is referred to the panel, "there is a high level of certainty the resource consent will be granted", the Government said this morning.

Panels will be chaired by a current or retired Environmental Court judge or senior lawyer and include relevant local councils and iwi representatives.

The panels will be able to greenlight a project within 25 days - rather than months or years - or up to 50 days for large-scale infrastructure.

Parker said projects that would benefit included roading, walking and cycling, rail, housing, sediment removal from silted rivers and estuaries, new wetland construction, flood management works, and projects to prevent landfill erosion.

Parker said environment safeguards would remain.

"The success of our health response gives us a head start on the world to get our economy moving again and this fast-tracking process will allow our economic recovery to accelerate," Parker said.

Finance Minister Grant Robertson said earlier that the government wants to speed up $6.8 billion in previously announced projects, such as the $360 million SkyPath over the Auckland Harbour Bridge as part of its efforts to kick start the post-lockdown economy.

Robertson has called for regional leaders to come forward with new "shovel-ready' projects.

The Greens are calling for $1b to be poured into a conservation package to create "nature-based jobs" under the shovel-ready push.

The Greens see such projects quickly generating up to 7000 jobs.

Robertson, meanwhile, has taken a more meat-and-potatoes approach, emphasising, in part, $3.5b in "shovel-ready" transport projects in Auckland.

• Covid19.govt.nz: The Government's official Covid-19 advisory website

Beyond the SkyPath, other Auckland projects at or near the "shovel ready" stage include the $411m Penlink road connecting the Whangaparaoa Peninsula with SH1 at Redvale (start date late next year), widening the Southern Motorway between Papakura and Drury ($423m, start late 2020), electrification of rail between Papakura and Pukekohe ($371m, start late 2020) and a third rail line between Quay Park and Wiri ($315m, start late 2020).

Outside Auckland, the $478m Tauranga Northern Link has a start date of late 2020, $59m of safety improvements on SH58 between Wellington's Hutt Valley and Porirua are due to start mid this year and $211m of rail improvements north of Wellington will start this year.