A modular housing project in Sydney’s north-west is demonstrating how off-site construction could help accelerate housing delivery, as the New South Wales Government continues to explore new approaches to increasing supply.
Nine architecturally designed terraces are being assembled at a development in Schofields using Modern Methods of Construction (MMC), with large sections manufactured in a factory before being transported to site for installation.
The homes form part of Landcom’s Burdekin Road development, which is expected to deliver around 140 homes, including terraces, manor homes and compact housing close to transport, jobs and services. At least 30 per cent of the homes will be delivered as affordable housing.
The project highlights growing interest in modular and prefabricated construction as governments and industry seek ways to improve productivity and reduce housing delivery timeframes.
According to estimates cited by the New South Wales Government, MMC approaches have the potential to reduce construction costs by up to 20 per cent and cut build times by up to 50 per cent compared with traditional building methods.
The two-storey, three-bedroom terraces are being manufactured in a controlled factory environment, where quality and safety checks are completed before the modules are transported to site and craned into position.
The project comes as the New South Wales Government progresses reforms designed to support wider adoption of MMC. Proposed legislation would formally recognise prefabricated buildings in law, integrate MMC into planning and approvals processes, and strengthen consumer protections.
NSW Minister for Planning and Public Spaces, Paul Scully, said innovative construction methods would play an important role in addressing housing supply challenges.
“NSW needs to build more homes and we need to build them faster, which is why the Minns Government is backing innovation across the construction sector,” Scully said.
“Modern Methods of Construction have enormous potential to speed up housing delivery, boost productivity and help deliver quality homes more efficiently.”
Member for Riverstone, Warren Kirby, said the project demonstrated how emerging construction techniques could support growing communities.
“These modern construction methods have the potential to speed up delivery, reduce costs and help more people access quality homes sooner,” Kirby said.
Landcom Chief Executive Officer, Alex Wendler, said the project would help inform future housing delivery.
“This project will help us better understand how MMC can support the delivery of diverse and affordable housing communities across NSW,” Wendler said.
“The outcomes of this trial will help inform how Landcom uses MMC in future projects as we continue working to increase housing supply where it’s needed most.”
Construction of the Schofields terraces is expected to be completed in August 2026.
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