Tasmania drives future of affordable and efficient high density housing

Tony Park, Ross Proud and a POD

An innovative Tasmanian developed affordable solution for high density housing has been unveiled by Park Homes.

This new approach to building and design is amongst the fastest growing and affordable developments in the construction industry.

Park Homes Managing Director Tony Park said the homes, known as PODS, had been guided by success in the United Kingdom and were ideal for larger, multi-storey residential developments.

“Over the next 20 years Tasmania will need approximately 40,000 new homes,” Mr Park said.

“With new developments on ‘green-field’ sites becoming less viable, the future depends on multi-storey residential developments.

“The modular construction, used to build these PODS, minimises the uncertainties of site construction and maximises the benefits of factory production.

“A factory can optimise control of process, materials and mechanisation, as well as deliver a superior quality of product.”

Mr Park said he had been in collaborating with a number of large Australian companies and international advisors for some time.

“Working closely with consultants in the UK, we have designed a 4-metre wide POD, which conforms to the Hobart City Council’s planning conditions for a studio apartment of 41 square metres,” Mr Park said.

“There has been a significant amount of interest nationally, and we have been partnering with several major building companies on the mainland who are very interested to see what we have come up with.”

Mr Park said his role as Vice President of the Confederation of Asia-Pacific Chambers of Commerce and Industry (CACCI) meant that he had seen first-hand the housing challenges facing the Asian continent.

“There has been a lot of interest from Asian countries who are facing the same housing challenges as we face here in Australia,” he said.

“We have calculated that construction of the PODS will take a quarter of the build time of on-site construction and will significantly reduce the costs and delays often associated with the industry.

“This is the future of building across the world and Park Homes is ready to help drive it.”

Park Homes will be holding an open day Saturday 28 July to showcase the innovative design structure of the POD.