The first block of land to build homes for key workers including teachers, police officers and health care workers in Mount Gambier has been secured, in a bid to tackle skills and housing concerns in the region.

The homes, being built in Mount Gambier’s inner east, are the first cabs off the rank for the State Government’s Regional Key Worker Housing Scheme, which is creating a continuous pipeline of homes to retain key workers in country areas.

Four new homes will be built on the 1100-sqm development-ready parcel of land, including two three-bedroom and two two-bedroom homes, which each feature an open-plan kitchen, ensuite, garage and courtyard.

Premier Peter Malinauskas announced the development during a visit to Mount Gambier on Friday and said the houses could be built quickly as limited subdivision, civil works or site clearance were required.

The announcement was made at the city’s ambulance station, with Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development Clare Scriven and Member for Mount Gambier Troy Bell attending to support the project.

The Premier said construction is expected to start early next year, with all four homes set to be completed by mid-2025.

The properties are the first of 30 new homes being delivered for key workers in a pilot program across the South East, the Riverland, Mid North, Far West Coast and Copper Coast.

Premier Malinauskas said it was anticipated a strong contingent of South East companies would bid to construct the new homes, further fuelling local employment opportunities.

Following the pilot program rollout, it is expected the Regional Key Worker Housing Scheme will be expanded to other regions.

The Scheme is being run by the Government’s newly established Office for Regional Housing within Renewal SA, set up to help tackle the regional housing crisis.

The Office has been working with Government Employee Housing and government agencies to determine housing requirements for each workforce’s needs, before commencing construction of the dwellings.

“When visiting the South East, I have heard time and time again there is a skills shortage in a number of key areas, exacerbated by a lack of proper housing for workers,” Premier Malinauskas said.

“Providing these homes is an important part of addressing a housing and skills shortage, and providing the vital services these communities require.”

Minister Scriven was pleased to see the pilot program under way.

“This will encourage key workers to choose the South East to live and work and therefore help the recruitment of people with the essential skills that our area needs,” she said.

“It will also have a flow-on effect for the wider community and therefore drive further economic growth.”

The Premier also took the opportunity to inspect some of the new homes being built in Mount Gambier to provide public and affordable community housing.

Six new public homes – being built by Empak- have recently been completed, with four more scheduled for completion this month.

They are the first new public homes to be delivered in regional South Australia under the State Government’s $232.7m Public Housing Improvement Program (PHIP).

This investment in public housing includes 564 new homes and halting the sell-off of 580 properties to deliver the first proper increase in public housing in South Australia for a generation.

Tenders for four more new homes in Mount Gambier will be released this month, and the design process is currently under way for another 12 new homes with tenders expected for release in late 2023.

In addition to extra new homes, vacant public housing in Mount Gambier is being upgraded under the PHIP so they can be homes again for people in need.

The SA Housing Authority has also purchased a 1.8 hectare site that will enable around 40 more public and affordable homes to be built on Shepherdson Road, close to the Hastings Cunningham Reserve and the walking/cycling path that traverses the town.

“Every South Australian deserves a safe and affordable place to live – and this new public housing will provide stability for those facing multiple barriers to achieving that,” Premier Malinauskas said.

“For a long time the South East has experienced issues with a lack of housing, or not enough housing in the right places. We are committed to tackling this issue.”

Minister Scriven welcomed the housing investment in Mount Gambier.

“The combination of the new public housing already under way and up to 40 more homes on this new parcel of land could see up to 66 extra new homes in Mount Gambier,” she said.

“The affordable homes we offer will give many people the assistance they need to become homeowners in an extremely challenging housing market.”