These new builds are all two-bedroom homes, spread across the region with eleven in Gympie, seven in Eidsvold, two in Maryborough and two in Bundaberg. One Maryborough modular house has already been tenanted, with more families to be placed into the other houses once construction is completed. 

Homes for Queenlanders is an ambitious plan from the Government that alongside supporting Queensland renters and helping first home owners into the market, aims to boost social housing and “build more homes, faster” with the promise of delivering one million new homes by 2046.

“Every Queenslander deserves a place to call home. That means we need to build more homes, faster – it’s that simple,” said Premier Steven Miles. “Our plan sets the target of 53,500 social homes by 2046, backed by over $1.2 billion of additional funding, which takes the investment to over $7 billion since 2015. This shows we’re not wasting any time getting to work because all Queenslanders, especially our most vulnerable, should have somewhere safe and secure to sleep at night.”

Modular houses appear to be forming a key tenet of Labor’s strategy.  Modular houses are a kind of prefabricated buildings created from separate ‘modules’ which are constructed in factory settings then delivered to their intended site and assembled. 

Previously associated with prefab classrooms, post-war housing and temporary toilets, modular homes are beginning to garner new interest from architects and property developers. Proponents of modular housing point to their adaptability, cost-efficiency, and speed of construction as benefits in the current housing climate. 

“We know that to build more homes faster we need to do things differently,” said Housing Minister Meaghan Scanlon. “It’s why the Miles Government is partnering with Queensland builders alongside our own QBuild tradies to assemble quality homes in factories across the state.”

Scanlon said that the government aims to “rebuild QBuild”, after the LNP cut 1,600 jobs from its ranks during their last term. A second QBuild modular factory has been recently opened in Cairns, in addition to the one already established in Brisbane.

In the next phase Miles’s office projects the addition of up to 500 qualified trades staff and apprentice positions.

 In Gympie 141 additional homes, built through traditional means, are also nearing completion.