Prefab housing project launched ahead of industry roundtable

The Malinauskas Labor Government has announced a tender for the construction of 120 turn-key homes using modern prefabricated construction methods.

The pilot project will see homes, or key components such as floors, walls, and roof panels, manufactured off site before being assembled in both regional and metropolitan locations across South Australia.

This approach is designed to significantly reduce build times while maintaining high standards of quality and design.

The tender is expected to launch in July, giving proponents time to prepare for the process.

The announcement comes ahead of The Premier and the Minister joining industry leaders and stakeholders at a roundtable discussion convened in partnership with AMPLIFY.

This event on Thursday 19 June will bring together key voices from across the housing and construction sectors to explore how South Australia can accelerate the adoption of modern, prefabricated building methods.

During the roundtable, the Premier and the Minister will outline the government’s commitment to growing the state’s advanced manufacturing capabilities and addressing the urgent need for more affordable, high-quality homes.

The session will focus on identifying barriers to innovation, streamlining regulatory frameworks and mobilising the workforce to support the expansion of prefabricated housing.

The Office for Regional Housing established within Renewal SA, has already pioneered this approach to address housing challenges in regional South Australia through a modular housing pilot project.

The pilot plans to acquire six modular homes from three builders, designed and constructed in accordance with Renewal SA's specifications.

The houses will be displayed initially in metropolitan Adelaide and made available for inspection by prospective users including key government agencies with a regional presence, councils, investors, lenders, planners and other stakeholders.

Ultimately, Renewal SA plans to relocate the houses to regional towns, as part of an expansion of the Regional Key Worker Housing Scheme.

If the pilot project is successful, it may pave the way for a larger ongoing procurement pipeline for modular housing.

Research by AMPLIFY shows that 73% of South Australians support expanding the use of prefab homes.

Quotes

Attributable to Peter Malinauskas

My Government has left no stone unturned in our pursuit of fixing the housing crisis – from releasing land and abolishing taxes, to delivering significant water infrastructure, as well as directly delivering public homes and homes for workers in our regions.

But we must keep innovating.

Prefabricated housing provides an opportunity to deliver more high-quality homes to more South Australians more quickly.

This innovative pilot is just one way we can work with industry to solve the challenges in housing.

Attributable to Nick Champion

We are looking at a range of different innovative methods to address housing supply issues. Our Government will deliver more affordable, high-quality homes for South Australians by embracing innovative, modern construction methods.

This roundtable will help us identify and overcome barriers to prefabricated housing, ensuring we get these homes built and into the hands of South Australians who need them.

The modular housing pilot led by Renewal SA is a prime example of how we’re tackling housing challenges head-on in our regions, supporting key workers in regional communities across the state.

Attributable to Paul Bassat, Chair, AMPLIFY

AMPLIFY applauds today’s announcement by the South Australian Government as a huge step in the right direction.

We’re in the midst of a national housing crisis and the community is demanding bigger, bolder action to boost supply. Prefab housing has a key role to play if we are to address the urgent need for more homes, sooner.

We believe that governments across Australia can drive significant growth in the number of prefab homes by using their procurement power, modernising regulations and by creating the jobs of the future for this industry. This will lead to homes being built more quickly and cheaply than is the case with traditional construction techniques.

South Australia is known for being our nation’s innovation state and what this announcement shows is this innovative spirit in action.

We know that 73% of South Australians support expanding the use of prefab housing, so this is a great first step to unlocking it's potential.