There is so much pressure for more than $10 billion of new infrastructure in Auckland, such as a second harbour crossing and an airport rail link, that not all of it can be built at the same time, a report said today.
Releasing the National Infrastructure Plan in Auckland today, Mr English said while there were "bottlenecks" in roading and electricity, they were being addressed.
"While these bottlenecks exist, there are no obvious looming crises in the near term (five years)," Mr English said.
However, longer term there would be pressures as the population grew.
The plan in particular singled out Auckland as having the largest urban infrastructure "aspirations".
These included the Waterview Connection in west Auckland, the new Waitemata Harbour crossing, a CBD rail tunnel and an airport rail link.
"It is clear that it will not be feasible for Auckland or New Zealand to fund all these multibillion dollar projects at the same time," the report said.
The report lists a wide variety of planned and possible projects.
The cost of the projects highlighted in the report were completing the Auckland Western Ring Route (which includes Waterview) at up to $1.82 billion and the new Harbour Crossing - up to $6b.
A Treasury official said there were no ball park estimates for the CBD Rail tunnel and the airport rail link, but said they were "big".
The report singled out three specific gaps that could need addressing over the next five to 20 years, Mr English said.
"It also identifies some future gaps and issues that might require action, including an additional Auckland Harbour crossing, the need for better alignment between central and local government planning and more investment in the most commercially viable parts of the rail network," Mr English said in a statement.
The report said a second Auckland harbour crossing could be needed in 10 to 20 years. There was also a need to replace some of the rail fleet to boost growth on "some routes" with demand for further investment in Auckland and Wellington.
The plan said the five priorities for the Government were:
• Broadband
• Electricity
• Regulatory reform
• Roads of national significance
• Rugby World Cup 2011.
Three emerging priorities were reviewing the electricity market, irrigation and better management of the Government's assets.
It said there was a large amount of planning, but it was variable.
Mr English said the plan was a step towards better management of $6b of investment a year and $110b in asset holdings.
The plan was a snapshot of public and private infrastructure, planned investment and the Government's priorities.
