A Pāpāmoa local is alleging the removal of sandbags at Harrisons Cut has caused erosion to a main sand dune.

Construction to improve the Harrison's Cut beach access has been underway since April 26.

The project has a $3.4 million budget and the works carried are set to improve the site's carpark and retain the bank on the western side of the Harrisons Cut outlet.

Last Friday, a Pāpāmoa local, who did not want to be named, called SunLive claiming the construction company had removed existing sandbags that retain the outlet, resulting in sand erosion.

'They've removed the sandbags and then obviously finished work for the day,” says the resident.

'Over the next 24-48 hours what has happened is the water has done a U-turn and come back into the beach and cut out half of a big sand dune.

'It has a track on it that all the elderly use to get on the beach,” they say.

Contractors are working to retain the bank on the western side of the Harrisons Cut outlet. Photo: John Borren/SunLive.

'It's pretty dramatic – it just took out a whole section of the beach that's got nothing to do with their work site… it's outside of their fenced area that this has all taken place.

'They've created some major erosion to some old sand dunes that have been there for many, many years that everyone's become familiar with and the track to get to the beach.”

Public safety was of top concern to the Pāpāmoa resident who claims: 'They've also caused a real hazard for the public.”

The caller reports there was no signage warning of the disappearance of the dune's sand track at the time of the incident and that a bank with a '12 foot” fall had been created.

Upon returning to the site later in the afternoon, the local says the construction team were making efforts to amend the damage to the sand dune.

'They're scrambling down there to try and make it look a bit better, but it's a bit too late for that.”

The erosion of the dune was 'a man-made hazard” according to the resident. Photo: Supplied.

Tauranga City Council drainage services manger Radleigh Cairns responded to the concerns.

'A member of the public alerted staff to the erosion late Friday and our contractors removed the health and safety issue as soon as it was practical to do so,” says Radleigh.

'Some of the existing sandbags had been temporarily removed in readiness for new ones to be installed, as they have deteriorated over time.

'However, the swell and weather conditions had an impact on the work site. Contractors will be using the old sandbags to protect the site until the new ones can be installed.”