NSW Delivers First Modular Homes Under Offsite Housing Plan

Tenants have moved into modular homes in Wollongong, the first to be occupied under the NSW Government’s modular housing program. Delivered as part of the $6.6 billion Building Homes for NSW initiative, the program will provide 90 modular homes over the next year—accommodating more than 150 people across multiple sites. (credit all images Wild Modular.)

The three modular homes now tenanted in Wollongong were the first brought online last month. A further ten homes—five in Shellharbour and five in Lake Macquarie—are expected to be delivered by the end of 2025.

Premier Chris Minns said modular housing was a key tool in reducing delivery times and increasing housing supply. “Modular housing allows us to deliver high quality homes in less time,” he said. “It allows us to build more homes and create more skilled construction and manufacturing jobs.”

The modular program was informed by the Modular Housing Taskforce, a cross-industry panel convened shortly after the Minns Government was elected in 2023. The taskforce identified barriers to uptake and advised on how modular construction could be used to support faster housing delivery across New South Wales.

Housing Minister Rose Jackson said the program was a direct response to longstanding housing system failures. “We are directly building public housing again and we are doing it fast,” she said. “These 90 modular homes are just the beginning. We are rebuilding the public housing system after a decade of sell-offs and neglect.”

Modular homes can be delivered around 20% faster than traditional builds, with further time savings expected as the program matures. The rollout is also tied to local manufacturing, supporting over 4,000 jobs in factories and on sites across the state.

Member for Wollongong Paul Scully described the program as a practical application of well-established methods. “It is a sensible use of new technology to try and solve a long-term housing waiting list. Modular construction is already producing architect-designed homes around the world, so it makes sense to trial this approach here.”