NSW’s sweeping reforms to boost land lease and prefab housing
“Manufactured homes and land lease communities must play an increasingly important role in tackling the housing crisis.”
The NSW Government is proposing major productivity reforms to state building laws that would lay the ground for a national take-up of prefabricated homes and modular buildings – a move expected to benefit manufactured homes and land lease communities.
Urban Development Institute of Australia (UDIA) NSW CEO Stuart Ayres said manufactured housing and land lease communities must be part of the state’s housing solution.
“Manufactured homes and land lease communities must play an increasingly important role in tackling the housing crisis,” he said.
Under the proposed reforms, NSW would move to a single, statewide approach for prefabricated building approvals. The Government says this will provide one clear pathway for approvals, increase industry certainty and encourage more builders to adopt innovative construction methods.
“Approvals for the installation of prefabricated homes fall on local councils, which too often take an inconsistent and slow approach to their regulation,” the Government said in a statement.
“Combined, the current system reduces the availability of construction loans, limits consumer protections available, and hurts consumer confidence in these types of homes.”
Master Builders NSW Executive Director Matthew Pollock said bringing prefabricated construction into a streamlined approval system could deliver significantly faster build times.
“This can reduce build times by 20% to get families into new homes faster,” he said.
Caravan & Camping Industry Association NSW Head of Policy & Engagement Shannon Skow said the sector is looking forward to seeing the detail of the reforms.
The proposed changes are expected to be introduced to Parliament next year.
