The value of building consents last month rose to a record-breaking $66 million - but the mountain of construction work means many builders are booked out for the whole year.

Construction on the $681 million Commercial Bay project will begin in downtown Auckland in June.

Total building activity increased to its highest level since records began 26 years ago.

Building consents in Auckland continued to lag behind the estimated level needed to match growth in housing demand.

COMMENT: The problems of a growing Auckland are becoming more and more urgent. We need to rethink the region, write Dushko Bogunovich and Matthew Bradbury.

Businesses connected to Stonewood Homes, which was placed in receivership this week, say they are unaffected.

Receivers says unsecured creditors are owed about $15 million and they hope to sell the business.

Director who ran trio of failed property companies owing more than $6 million is missing.

Residents of well-heeled Auckland suburbs are bristling at plans for new Special Housing Areas in their backyards.

The Government says there are strong prospects for construction, infrastructure and the IT sector. But things look dim for actors, pilots and air traffic controllers.

New Zealand shares rose, led by Fletcher Building after the country's biggest construction company bought a roading firm.

Fletcher executives will face protests from a small Maori community in Mangere when they attend a planning hearing tomorrow for a proposed new housing project.

Inland Revenue is cracking down on the black economy after many tradies admitted knowing of cash jobs worth more than $20,000.

A group of residents on a quiet rural road in Auckland have banded together to try to stop two new commercial landfills opening.

The cost of construction materials is rising up to 10 per cent for some products due to strong demand.

An Uber-style service for the construction sector is launching in New Zealand, allowing contractors to rent out unused equipment to others in the industry.

Two builders have copped fines from the industry watchdog for their negligent and incompetent work - and one has lost his trading licence.

The owners of 22 business units have joined a lawsuit of 80 property owners against James Hardie over its Titanboard product.

Auckland residents and ratepayers can now see if their suburbs are destined for new multi-storey developments.

Our economy appears to be humming along, with latest GDP stats showing a 0.9 percent lift in economic activity.

A combination of over-regulation and over-taxation is a sure way to destroy a stressed business, writes Stephen Scrivens.It is inconceivable that any politician will willingly reduce taxes but the Government could cut red tape

Auckland Council is understood to be releasing maps tomorrow showing large swathes of suburban Auckland being rezoned for multiple townhouses and apartments.

A Christchurch construction company has been fined $45,000 for failing to properly identify and manage asbestos at a demolition site.

Fletcher Building has become the first company of its kind to achieve Rainbow Tick certification.

COMMENT: Are authorities able to monitor and oversee the hundreds of building projects across Auckland, asks Lucy Walker.

A lawsuit against building products maker James Hardie Industries has lost its bid to let potential plaintiffs join after a Dec. 31 cut-off date.

Work on Auckland's most upmarket new hotel has resumed after the main Korean contractor left, scaffolding was dismantled and the job which started two years ago lay idle for months.

A $50 million-plus housing project at Albany identified as the site of a shoddy-building video has been issued with four notices by Auckland Council to fix work.