Portland set to be major housing supplier for the region

30/09/2022

3D render of modular houses manfactured by FormFlow located in a regional setting with eucalyptus trees overhead

The Victorian Government is backing more housing for workers in regional Victoria with a new housing manufacturing facility to be established in Portland.

Regional Victorian manufacturer FormFlow to transform the unused Portland airport hangar into a housing manufacturing facility. The project is made possible thanks to funding from the Portland Diversification Fund.

FormFlow is a Geelong-based manufacturer producing smart building solutions for affordable, accessible, and sustainable housing. The company produces a range of modular designs that are energy efficient, sustainable and relocatable.

The $2.35 million housing manufacturing facility will be capable of producing up to 200 relocatable houses a year for the Glenelg Shire and surrounding regions.

This project will create 50 full time jobs and an estimated 150 indirect jobs. Once complete the facility will establish a new industry for Portland and help create more housing for workers across the Glenelg Shire, which are key priorities as part of the Portland Diversification Fund.

As well as manufacturing housing for key workers this facility will have the ability to design and produce purpose-built housing for a range of needs into the future. This includes social and affordable housing, for National Disability Insurance Scheme participants, tourism and for emergency response housing.

The manufacturing facility is one of a range of initiatives the Government is investing in to help address workforce shortages and housing availability across south west Victoria.

Five studio-style units are almost complete at the Koroit Caravan Park made possible by a $465,000 grant from the Regional Recovery Fund. More housing is also being made available in Timboon and in Simpson with $2 million from the Regional Work Force Pilots to prepare land that will enable up to 140 new homes to be built.

The $7.5 million Portland Diversification Fund forms part of the $17.4 million Portland Economic Diversification Plan which supports investment to create sustainable long-term jobs growth and better opportunities for locals.

The Plan also includes $2.5 million to provide access to the second stage of the Portland North Employment Precinct with road infrastructure. Another $4.8 million is supporting the upgrade to freight roads used to transport goods in local industries.

The Fund builds on the Victorian Government’s almost $36 billion record investment across regional and rural Victoria since 2015. Find out more at Portland Diversification Fund.