The state government has announced that its new modular building centre is close to completion, with the site set to open and dozens of tradies set to descend in March 2024.
The facility, which is based on a similar centre in Eagle Farm, Brisbane, is being described a s a “key pillar” of the Labor government’s Homes for Queenslanders plan, which has set a target of building 53,500 social homes by 2046.
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The Cairns Rapid Accommodation and Apprenticeship Centre in Portsmith will pull together complete homes as well as bathroom modules, flatpack kitchens and timber frames for social and government housing.
It’s also set to serve as an educational hub to skill up workers in residential construction – a subsector desperately in need of more hands.
They’ll make their home in Cairns, with the new centre also expected to offer economic support to the regional community.
Manufacturing is expected to be underway by the end of the first quarter of 2024, with hopes for high output from the facility.
The Eagle Farm centre, on which it’s based, opened in late 2022 and has so far contributed to the delivery of more than 100 modular homes. A second, smaller RAAC also operates at Zillmere.
Premier Steven Miles noted that the government would be looking to support modular construction throughout the state as it looks to increase supply under its housing plan.
Mr Miles commented that in order to achieve its social housing goals, the government needs to find “innovative ways to build homes like modular housing, and build our construction capacity with more apprentices”.
“This new facility will do just that.
“More than 100 modular homes have already been built statewide by QBuild and industry partners, in communities like Winton, Roma, Dalby and Longreach.
“We won’t waste any time getting to work because vulnerable Queenslanders deserve a safe place to call home,” Mr Miles said.
Meaghan Scanlon, Minister for Housing and Public Works, explained why the facility is of particular importance in a region like Cairns.
“The Far North is no stranger to heavy rainfall and natural disasters – we saw that just recently – but it often means building sites can be shut down for long periods of time.
“Having a factory right here in Cairns and a battalion of builders means we continue to build homes whatever the weather and roll them out as soon as possible,” Ms Scanlon said.
