Builder Appointments Pave Way for WA 1100-Home Scheme

A major housing program in the West is poised to begin after the appointment of builders for a slew of projects.

Ready to come out of the ground are 1146 social and affordable build-to-rent homes across 14 projecrs in Perth following PACT Construction, EMCO Building and Icon Construction getting the nod.

Of the projects, around 80 per cent will be affordable housing and 20 per cent social housing. 

Perth’s PACT Construction is to deliver 501 unit across projects at White Gum Valley, Ellenbrook, Wellard, Kelmscott, Subiaco, Butler and Bassendean.

EMCO Building, another WA company, has won the tender to build apartments at Woodbridge, Rivervale, Redcliffe (pictured top), Cannington, Malaga and Midland, delivering a total of 470 units. 

Construction on the first of those project is to begin early next year. Build times are expected to be between 16 and 30 months.

Icon Construction, which has its corporate headquarters in Melbourne, will deliver the Roe Street Perth City Link development project of 175 units. 

▲ A rendering of a 56-unit project at Woodbridge.

The 14 developments will be delivered in stages. The first comprises the schemes at White Gum Valley, Wellard, Ellenbrook, Woodbridge, Rivervale and Redcliffe. 

The second stage consists of the seven developments; at Butler, Kelmscott, Subiaco, Bassendean, Cannington, Malaga and Midland, all of which are subject to further planning and design work. Construction for this stage is also scheduled for next year.

The agreement to deliver the projects was made through the Federal Government’s Housing Australia Future Fund (HAFF) and the National Housing Accord Facility (NHAF)

▲ A rendering of the Pier Street build-to-rent project.

The WA Government will also provide upfront capital investment of $443 million to deliver the homes.

Once completed, the apartments will be sold to an appointed Community Housing Provider (CHP), which will be able to access concessional loans from the HAFF and NHAF.

Icon Construction has already progressed with the construction of Perth’s first 100 per cent public housing build-to-rent project Pier Street at East Perth.

The Pier Street plans were filed in 2024 and it has now reached the podium level with the first 11 storeys complete.

The 29-storey apartment building will deliver 219 new apartments, of which 30 per cent will be new social rental homes and the remaining 44 units will be affordable rental homes.

Completion of the Pier Street development is due in 2027.