Red tape cut on modular housing as NSW moves to fix supply crisis
The state government has unveiled major reforms to slash red tape on modular housing construction, with builds expected to halve in time and cost 20 per cent less. Here’s how.
Restrictive red tape on the construction of modular housing across NSW looks set to be cut, as swathes of new building reforms will green light prefabricated housing in an effort to beat the state’s housing crisis.
Building Minister Anoulack Chanthivong and NSW Building Commissioner James Sherrard revealed exclusively to The Daily Telegraph a series of productivity reforms would be rolled out to established a “nation-leading” vision for modular built housing.
The Minister said the reforms would cut construction times of new prefabricated homes across the state in half, while “modernising the building approvals system”.
The suite of changes to building laws come after The Daily Telegraph’s Future Sydney Bradfield Oration revealed the fast-tracking of modular housing could see 200,000 homes built across the state in a matter of months.
The Future Sydney forum also revealed a push for rapid-build modular housing in airspace development from Buy Airspace boss Warren Livesey, who called on NSW Premier Chris Minns and Planning Minister Paul Scully to widen the scale of the low and mid-rise housing reforms to allow the construction of 150,000 homes out of thin air – with the assistance of modular housing.
Mr Livesey said modular housing was a $150bn economic opportunity, sitting dormant on the rooftops of apartment blocks and homes across Sydney.
The Commonwealth Productivity Commission estimates modular and prefabricated building can reduce construction costs by up to 20 per cent, while construction times on modular housing was also found to be twice as fast as regular build homes.
Mr Chanthivong told The Daily Telegraph the government was “committed to boosting construction productivity in the state to meet our Housing Accord targets”.
“To achieve this, we are progressing with sweeping planning reforms, but we also need to make sure we remove barriers to having homes approved and built.
“At a time when NSW needs to build 377,000 homes by 2029 to meet housing demand, these
reforms are critical to delivering the high-quality homes around the state.”
The proposed reforms, expected the be brought to parliament next year, will also set out rules for the manufacture, supply, transport, delivery and installation of prefabricated buildings.
NSW Building Commissioner James Sherrard said the reforms would ensure all types of homes, including “modern methods of construction”, are compliant with the Building Code of Australia.
“The Building Productivity Reforms are the next step in the state’s journey to modernise and simplify legislation that governs the way homes are approved and built in NSW.”
The changes to building laws would also look set to remove duplication between building and planning legislation, enhance certifier accountability and streamline building and occupation approvals.
Urban Development Institute of Australia NSW boss Stuart Ayres said manufactured homes “must play an increasingly important role in tacking the housing crisis”.
“These proposed reforms will make NSW a more attractive place to invest capital in these growth-oriented housing types.”
Meanwhile, Housing Industry Association executive director Brad Armitage said the government was smoothing out the approval and compliance pathway for modular housing.
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Originally published as Red tape cut on modular housing as NSW moves to fix supply crisis
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