Feature Image: Renewal SA.
Six full-sized modular homes have gone on display in Adelaide’s north, offering a first look at a new approach being trialled to tackle housing shortages across regional South Australia.
The two and three-bedroom homes have been built as part of a $3.35 million State Government trial investigating whether modern modular housing could provide a faster, well-priced option for communities where access to trades and construction materials can be limited.
For now, the homes have been assembled at a purpose-built display village at Edinburgh Parks, where regional councils, businesses and industry groups can inspect them until the end of the year.
But they won’t stay there permanently.
Once the demonstration period wraps up, the homes will be disassembled, transported by truck and relocated to regional South Australian communities experiencing shortages of accommodation for government workers.
The Office for Regional Housing is currently working with partners in the Flinders Ranges and Yorke Peninsula as potential destinations.
The trial has a particular focus on housing for essential workers, with shortages of suitable accommodation making it more difficult for some country communities to attract and retain nurses, teachers, police and other workers.
“Attracting and keeping key workers like nurses, teachers and police in country towns depends on there being somewhere decent for them to live,” Housing and Urban Development Minister Nick Champion said.
“This is an investment in practical, high-quality housing solutions that can be delivered to regional communities at pace.”
Three companies — Destination Built, Fleetwood and Urbanlux — were selected through a competitive tender process, with each delivering one two-bedroom and one three-bedroom home.
Despite being designed to be transported, the homes are considerably larger than the traditional image of a temporary demountable.
Each features an open-plan kitchen, living and dining area, two bathrooms, a laundry and an alfresco space.
The two-bedroom designs have a total footprint of about 115 square metres, while the three-bedroom homes are just over 135 square metres.
Fleetwood Australia Chief Executive Officer Andrea Pidcock said modern modular housing had moved well beyond earlier temporary building models.
“Contemporary modular construction is fundamentally different from earlier demountable and temporary buildings,” Andrea said.
“Modern modular homes are robust, permanent structures built to the same regulatory, quality and performance standards as traditional construction.”
The concept is particularly aimed at areas where conventional building projects can face longer timelines because of trade shortages, transport costs and difficulty accessing materials.
Renewal SA’s Office for Regional Housing has been exploring modular and alternative construction methods as part of its broader work to increase housing supply outside metropolitan Adelaide. A modular housing pilot had been in development since 2025, with the agency identifying limited construction capacity and high material and transport costs among the challenges facing regional housing delivery.
The Edinburgh Parks demonstration village is open for inspections by appointment through the Office for Regional Housing.
