Kingsland property owner Pam Willis says insurance premiums may reach the point where owners start tearing down commercial buildings.

Landlords are crying poor and seeking financial assistance in the face of proposals to strengthen thousands of old buildings.

Changes are being made at the Queen Street Markets in the old MidCity Cinemas complex on Auckland's Golden Mile.

An American beach-themed eaterie making waves in Auckland's corporate heart is expected to operate for only a couple more months.

Affordability is a huge issue for small businesses and building owners, Mr Gudgeon says. "Strengthening is a cost burden - with no return".

Some of New Zealand's historic buildings are about to be hit by a multibillion-dollar bombshell, as the Government forces their strengthening, experts claim.

Home-building consents fell last month as a drop in approvals for apartments offset gains for other types of dwellings

A state of drought has been officially declared for Northland. Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy made the announcement at a Dargaville dairy farm this afternoon.

Prime Minister John Key says there is a reasonably high chance a drought will be declared soon as the country's farmers become increasingly concerned.

The community housing sector in Auckland, which elsewhere would be in the market for developer-supplied affordable housing, is neither strong nor vibrant, writes Brian Rudman.

More than half of Auckland's residential land is to be rezoned for apartments and intensification to squeeze in a million extra people by 2040.

Successful waterfronts around the world have a mix of commercial, residential and public uses, writes John Dalzell. Our aim is to get the balance between these elements right.

Local companies, including accounting software firm Xero and business incubator The Icehouse.

Oyster Property Group has launched its first proportionate ownership scheme for 2013 by offering investors the Orion Health building, known as Orion House, in Grafton.

A secret Auckland Council agenda item has revealed the Wynyard Quarter as a possible site for Fonterra's planned new $100 million campus-style world HQ.

Auckland Transport's parking wardens are enjoying views of Takapuna Beach from the upstairs balcony of a building which was gifted by North Shore citizens for a public library.

We now have a tax system that favours the investor over any family wanting to own a home of their own - regardless of price, writes Alan Dudson.

The Salvation Army has bought the Destiny Church complex in the Auckland suburb of Mt Wellington and has its 12-storey building in Queen St up for sale.

Editorial: A contributor to our website today suggests an interesting way to make houses more affordable for young people seeking their first homes.

Shops and bars will open in downtown Christchurch next month for the first time since the February 22 earthquake two years ago.

Work in post-disaster Christchurch has officially swung from recovery and demolition to rebuild, the Government said today.

"Is National planning to confiscate private property to get houses built on it?" asks Tim Hazledine. "Labour has come out with a promise to build 100,000 new houses, which turns out to be half-baked in its lack of detail."

Almost a year after the Bronwyn Pullar scandal erupted, privacy breaches at the Accident Compensation Corporation remain "unacceptably high", chairwoman Paula Rebstock says.