WA Minister declines to confirm pitch outcome from Asian investors for modular apartments.
The outcome of a meeting last week between Asian investors and WA Housing Minister John Carey, concerning modular apartments in the Perth CBD, remains uncertain. Despite interest in the proposal, the Minister refrained from confirming or denying the success of the pitch. (main pic: The Coast apartments in Rockingham, Perth, manufactured in China.)
“All projects have to go through rigorous procurement processes, which I would not want to pre-empt by commenting on any individual projects,” Minister Carey stated in response to enquiries from WAMN News.
The State Government’s housing strategy continues to focus on addressing the critical housing shortage. Minister Carey highlighted the government’s $3.2 billion investment in housing and homelessness measures. “The State Government is acutely aware of the housing market across the country – and we are continuing to deliver major investments,” he said.
Central to these measures are reforms aimed at increasing housing supply through alternative construction methods. “This is demonstrated through our reforms to establish a State-wide small and medium builders panel and introducing alternative construction methods including timber frame and modular to accelerate the delivery of social housing across WA,” Carey explained.
A key initiative under the WA Labor Government has been the modular building pilot program introduced in 2021. The program, designed to provide an alternative pathway for social housing delivery, has seen significant progress. “Since the establishment of the pilot modular build program, more than 200 modular homes have been contracted and most are currently under construction, with 129 completed to date as at 30 September 2024,” Carey stated.
These modular homes are part of broader efforts to address regional housing needs. “These homes are being delivered throughout regional WA, including in the Pilbara, Great Southern, South-West, Wheatbelt, Goldfields, and the Kimberley,” he added.
While the Minister declined to provide specifics about the investors’ modular apartment proposal, he emphasised the government’s commitment to exploring “new and innovative reforms” to improve housing across Western Australia.
Source: WAMM