The NSW Government is trialling the use of modular homes to cut waiting times for social housing. Photo: sedrik2007.
Wollongong has been chosen as one of two NSW sites to trial modular social housing in a bid to slash construction times and deliver desperately needed affordable homes.
Three sites in Wollongong will host three modular social homes, while five homes will be delivered in Lake Macquarie.
The homes are expected to be completed by early 2025. The government estimates that modular homes can be delivered 20 per cent faster than traditional methods.
Last year, the NSW Government formed the Modular Housing Taskforce, a cross-industry panel that has spearheaded the project and has investigated ways modular housing can be harnessed to speed up the delivery of homes.
The Taskforce includes peak industry experts such as PreFab Aus, Shelter NSW, the Property Council of Australia, Local Government NSW and people with lived experience of social housing.
The government has allocated $10 million to explore and trial the use of modular social housing.
NSW Planning Minister and Wollongong MP Paul Scully welcomed the trial and said it was a sensible use of new technology to try and solve a long-term housing waiting list.
“Modular and modern methods of construction are used to produce award-winning architecturally designed homes in a timely and efficient manner, so it makes sense to trial this approach to construction as part of the Minns Government’s commitment to build more social housing,” he said.
“I welcome the use of new and innovative methods of construction that are used the world over to trial them to build more social housing in Wollongong.”
Housing and Homelessness Minister Rose Jackson said the initial sites were a crucial first step towards revolutionising public housing delivery.
“We anticipate this demonstration project will pave the way for more of these innovative homes to be rolled out in the future,” she said.
“Amid a severe housing crisis, we need to look at every option. We must get a roof over people’s heads sooner. Leveraging modern construction methods will help us provide sustainable, quality housing faster for the people that need it most.”
“We know people don’t have time to wait and while we get on with the job of building 8400 new public homes announced in the recent budget, we will continue to leverage every opportunity we have.”
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