- Hon Chris Bishop
- Hon Shane Jones
A second substantial Auckland quarry project has gained Fast-track approval to expand operations, Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop and Resources Minister Shane Jones says.
Kings Quarry Limited lodged an application in May 2025 to expand existing quarrying activities to enable the extraction and processing of approximately 500,000 tonnes per year for up to 100 years - up to 60 years for Stage 2 and 40 years for Stage 3.
"The project has been approved by an expert panel in just 66 days from appointment of a panel," says Mr Bishop.
"The project will deliver long-term benefits by providing a local source for aggregate materials used in major infrastructure projects in the region. A range of important projects will no longer need to source aggregates from outside the region, which means cost can be kept to reasonable levels.
"Meeting aggregate demand locally is vital as it delivers direct transport cost savings, help lower emissions and heavy traffic levels on major roads, creating both economic and environmental benefits."
Mr Jones says quarrying projects such as the Kings Quarry provides long-term job opportunities in the regions.
"I am highly supportive of quarrying because, as well as producing materials that are vital to addressing New Zealand's housing and infrastructure deficit, it provides good, long-term employment nationwide.
"It's great to see Fast-track streamlining quarrying approvals so applicants don't have to navigate multiple, costly layers of consents, over a far longer timeframe, as they have done using existing RMA processes."
Notes to editor:
For more information about the project: Kings Quarry Expansion - Stages 2 and 3
Fast-track project approved by expert panels:
- Bledisloe North Wharf and Fergusson North Berth Extension [Infrastructure]
- Drury Metropolitan Centre - Consolidated Stages 1 and 2 [Housing]
- Drury Quarry Expansion - Sutton Block [Mining/Quarrying]
- Kings Quarry Expansion - Stages 2 and 3 [Mining/Quarrying]
- Maitahi Village [Housing]
- Milldale - Stages 4C and 10 to 13 [Housing]
- Rangitoopuni [Housing]
- Tekapo Power Scheme - Applications for Replacement Resource Consents [Renewable energy]
- Waihi North [Mining/Quarrying]
- Arataki project
- Ashbourne
- Ayrburn Screen Hub
- Green Steel
- Haldon Solar Farm
- Homestead Bay
- Kaimai Hydro-Electric Power Scheme
- Pound Road Industrial Development
- Ryans Road Industrial Development
- Southland Wind Farm Project
- Stella Passage Development
- Sunfield Masterplanned Community
- Takitimu North Link - Stage 2
- Taranaki VTM Project
- Waitaha Hydro
- Waitākere District Court - New Courthouse Project
Expert panels have been appointed for:
25 projects have now been referred into the Fast-track process by the Minister for Infrastructure.
