- Cook Labor Government to invest $48 million to establish and expand two Housing and Infrastructure Advanced Manufacturing Facilities in 2026-27 State Budget
- Facilities will support faster delivery of medium and high-density housing
- Investment to strengthen local construction capability, boost productivity and support WA jobs
- Part of Cook Labor Government's priority to ensure every Western Australian has a home
The Cook Labor Government is boosting housing supply and productivity in the construction sector, with a $48 million investment into advanced manufacturing facilities in Western Australia.
Funded in the State Budget 2026-27, the investment will support Built Living and Atlas Precast establish and expand housing and infrastructure advanced manufacturing facilities in Neerabup and Kwinana, helping lift local capacity to deliver more homes, faster.
This transformational investment will support the more efficient delivery of medium-and-high-density apartments.
Overseas models show large-scale prefabrication can deliver apartments at around 20 per cent lower cost and up to 50 per cent faster than traditional construction methods.
Both proponents will receive incentive payments of around $20 million each, with the State to also provide support with utility connections and a five-year rent-free lease period for Built's facility at Meridian Park.
Construction at the Built facility is expected to commence in the second half of 2026, with completion targeted for early 2028, subject to approvals. It is anticipated the facility will support around 150 construction jobs and 150 ongoing operational jobs.
Operations from Atlas' expanded facility are expected to commence in late 2027, with 125 local jobs created during construction and 75 ongoing operational jobs.
Both facilities are expected to ramp up production rapidly in 2028-29, with the State reserving capacity for projects that support housing supply and essential infrastructure. This could include social and affordable housing, homes for first home buyers, and key infrastructure such as hospitals, schools and correctional facilities.
This investment builds on the Cook Labor Government's $50 million Housing Innovation Fund, which is supporting modern methods of construction to improve productivity and help bring more housing supply to market.
It also complements Keystart's Modular Home Loan, which is helping more Western Australians to buy modern, prefabricated homes.
Together, these initiatives form part of the government's Made in WA platform and broader strategy to boost housing supply, support local jobs and ensure Western Australia's construction sector is ready to meet the needs of a growing State.
As stated by Premier Roger Cook:
"My government's priority is ensuring every Western Australian has a home, and that's exactly what our upcoming Budget will deliver.
"By investing in innovative ways of building, we will not only accelerate the construction of medium-and-high-density housing in WA, but potentially help deliver major infrastructure projects, too.
"This shows how my government's Made in WA plan can support our State as it continues to grow, helping ensure everyone get the security a home provides."
As stated by Treasurer Rita Saffioti:
"This is a game changing development for our housing industry. It's a whole new way to deliver homes in Western Australia.
"Housing is a key priority in this year's State Budget and this investment will significantly improve our ability to deliver thousands of new apartments.
"Prefabrication helps drive down costs and ease workforce pressures, especially in regional WA, so we can build more homes, faster.
"These facilities will help deliver more affordable housing, including around key transport corridors and METRONET stations, making it easier for Western Australians to live closer to jobs, services and public transport."
As stated by Housing and Works and Planning and Lands Minister John Carey:
"The Cook Labor Government is already backing modular and alternative construction methods to speed up delivery - including through the Housing Innovation Fund and our social and affordable housing program.
"This $48 million investment will build on those efforts, growing our State's capacity to deliver prefabricated density projects, in partnership with two respected companies.
"Housing is a key focus in this year's budget, with investments to unlock thousands of lots of land and build thousands of homes. This will help us deliver that housing faster and more efficiently."
As stated by Manufacturing Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson:
"This is Made in WA - diversifying our economy, creating great local jobs and making more things here.
"Improving local manufacturing capability means we can deliver what Western Australians need faster - whether that's homes or hospitals.
"This funding will help position WA as a leader in innovative advanced manufacturing so we can build the infrastructure we need for the future."
Comments attributed to Built Living CEO Dale Connor:
"We spent almost two years searching globally for solutions that genuinely work.
"Across the world's leading apartment markets, offsite manufacturing of high-quality construction elements is delivered at scale.
"Built Living brings this best practice to Australia, strengthened by Built's AI enabled digital product capability, on which we have spent $100 million in development. Western Australia is the ideal launch point for our national platform."
As stated by Atlas Building (WA) Director Julian Ambrose:
"This investment from the WA Government allows us to do more of what we are already doing, but faster and at a greater scale.
"By 2028, this facility will have the capacity to produce at least 9,400 apartment equivalents a year."
