A modular home built in a Smithfield factory, which will soon be installed in Wollongong. Photo: NSW Government.
The “future of social housing” will soon arrive in Wollongong.
Three modular homes, built off-site at a Smithfield factory, are in the final construction phase and will shortly be installed in Wollongong.
Another 10 homes are due in Shellharbour and Lake Macquarie by the end of the year.
NSW Housing and Homelessness Minister Rose Jackson said the homes were the future of social housing – smarter, faster, modern and built to provide tenants dignity.
“Modular homes aren’t ‘shit-boxes’, they are the future,” she said.
“We’re using modern construction to deliver beautiful homes for people who need them most, cutting wait times and creating good local jobs along the way.
“These homes show what’s possible when we stop dragging our feet and start thinking differently.”
Each of the first sites will feature a one bedroom plus a multipurpose room modular home installed in the backyard of an existing social housing property, creating extra homes for people in need on land already owned by the NSW Government.
The modular homes will be rolled out statewide as part of the Building Homes for NSW program using modern methods of construction.
These methods refer to the variety of construction methods that are different to traditional onsite construction, including prefabrication and off-site manufacturing, as well as new technologies such as 3D printing, robotics, and artificial intelligence.
Ms Jackson said these construction methods slashed build time by up to 20 per cent and supported about 100 local manufacturing and construction jobs.
The homes are being built by Wild Modular and will be managed by Homes NSW.
Wild Modular co-founder and executive director Tahi Merrilees said modern methods of construction weren’t just about efficiency.
“It’s about innovating with dignity and quality, building a better future for our communities,” he said.
“These homes reflect what’s possible with volumetric modular construction, designed with precision, built under controlled conditions, and installed with minimal disruption.”
