The house-building sector is experiencing its biggest surge in more than a decade as demand for new places.

Architects Jeff Fearon and Tim Hay of Fearon Hay have won NZ’s top award for architecture, from the NZ Institute of Architects for their work on the Imperial Buildings refurbishment and strengthening. Ross Healy of Phillimore Properties who owns the buildings had been more than impressed with the finished result. New Zealand Herald reporter Anne Gibson spoke with the winning team.

Controversial plans for a $100 million 27-level Dunedin hotel have been knocked back.

A historic Napier harbour property that survived a devastating earthquake and which now houses an award-winning cafe is for sale for the first time in 50 years.

A successful boutique fashion jewellery and accessories business occupying a prominent corner site at the main intersection in Napier's CBD is being marketed for sale.

The Government's pokies for convention centre deal cannot bind future governments to compensate SkyCity if the deal is revoked, leading constitutional lawyer Stephen Franks says.

Scarfie favourite, Dunedin's Captain Cook Tavern, could close by the middle of this month.

Sex trade entrepreneurs John and Michael Chow have opened a new downtown Auckland brothel, one in Wellington and are planning another in Auckland.

A $2.3 million winery estate is for sale after being placed in receivership.

A luxury accommodation business set in 5822sq m of sub tropical gardens on the Coromandel Peninsula is being marketed for sale.

Hamilton's central business district is seeing a development surge in properties.

Auckland's 'frothy' housing market poses the biggest risk to the economy's strengthening recovery, the Institute of Economic Research says.

New Zealand chef Peter Gordon's dine restaurant in Auckland shuts this week so the area can be gutted and the SkyCity Grand Hotel's new hotel lobby bar can be relocated there.

Consultants have been paid $1.6 million for work on Auckland Council's Yard 37 marine precinct development.

A four-year battle to get to the stage where resource consent can be sought for a Beachlands project has left one of New Zealand's biggest supermarket chains disillusioned about planning processes.

Residential rents could rise and historic buildings might be abandoned, say property chiefs who have mixed feelings about real estate changes in the Budget.

Auckland Mayor Len Brown is refusing to help a community battling plans by hardware giant Bunnings to build a big box retail store alongside homes and kindergartens.

Auckland Mayor Len Brown is backing down in the face of a citywide revolt against high-rise apartments and infill housing in a new planning rulebook for the city.

The value of SkyCity Entertainment Group could get a $200 million boost after a $402 million deal announced yesterday.

Moller Architects' Gordon Moller and son Craig have been working with SkyCity Entertainment Group for some years.

Landowners having to pay the council a share of profits on rezoned properties.