Builders across the state are being sought to deliver new homes in regional SA, as work progresses on a vital initiative to get more skilled workers into country towns.
The Office for Regional Housing – established to tackle chronic regional housing shortages – is seeking interest from builders to partner with and ensure much-needed homes are rolled out as quickly as possible.
The Office, within Renewal SA and part of the State Government’s A Better Housing Future plan, is tasked with facilitating the delivery of housing to attract and retain key workers and help address a skills shortage in regional areas.
The Office’s first priority is the Regional Key Worker Housing Scheme – a pilot program will deliver 30 homes for teachers, police officers and health care workers across the South East, Riverland, Mid North, Far West Coast and Copper Coast.
Renewal SA has secured sites in Mount Gambier, Renmark and Port Augusta for the first of the new homes, as work continues to find other suitable locations.
It is anticipated a strong contingent of local companies will bid to build the new homes, fuelling employment opportunities in each region.
Construction is expected to start early next year, with first residents set to move in by mid-2025.
Following the initial rollout, the scheme is set to be expanded to create more government worker housing in other regions as well as accommodate the needs of private sector employees across a host of industries.
Other regions identified include Kangaroo Island and Whyalla, with builders encouraged to register their interest amid growing demand to support major projects like the Hydrogen Jobs Plan as well as KI’s timber, agriculture and tourism sectors.
It follows the Office meeting with councils, developers and businesses to understand the challenges in construction and immediate and future workforce needs.
Builders wanting to be part of the Government’s significant pipeline of work can register their interest at renewalsa.sa.gov.au/office-for-regional-housing-registration-of-interest.
The ROI will close on October 5.
Office for Regional Housing Director Matt Hunt said this was the first step in a multi-step approach to be able to engage builders into the future.
“We are looking for ongoing partners who can tender for more sites into the future and who can deliver different types of homes to suit the needs and challenges of different areas,” he said.
“Now that we have secured land in Mount Gambier, Renmark and Port Augusta, we want to get construction under way on our first houses as early as possible next year.
This will then flow into further developments in other regions, noting we have particularly strong demand to meet in the Copper Coast and Upper Spencer Gulf.”
