29 October 2026. Regional Victorian councils now have fixed housing targets to 2051, and many of them have too few builders to meet them with site-built homes alone. This article sets out the targets, where the trade shortage bites hardest, and where modular supply fits for councils and builders.
The regional targets
The Plan for Victoria housing targets, published by the Victorian Government through the Department of Transport and Planning, set net new homes to 2051 for each council. For the regional councils, they are:
- Greater Geelong 128,600; Mitchell 66,000; Ballarat 46,900; Greater Bendigo 37,000.
- Baw Baw 25,700; Moorabool 20,000; Bass Coast 19,250; Greater Shepparton 15,250.
- Wodonga 15,200; Macedon Ranges 13,200; Latrobe 13,000; Golden Plains 12,500.
- East Gippsland 11,000; Mildura 8,500; Surf Coast 8,000; South Gippsland 8,000.
- Wellington 8,000; Warrnambool 7,200; Wangaratta 6,000.
Where trade shortages bite
The pressure falls hardest on fast-growing peri-urban shires and on small coastal and inland towns. At a Parliament of Victoria Environment and Planning Committee hearing on 6 May 2025, close to 25% of Victorians were said to live in regional areas, 90% of regional dwellings were described as detached houses, and the HIA reported shortages of trades, builders, building surveyors and engineers. Witnesses urged offsite construction.
Since then the cost gap has widened. HIA figures quoted by the Nationals on 26 October 2026 show trade prices rose 18.1% in regional Victoria over the past year, while they fell 3.1% in Melbourne. The HIA 2026 Small Business Conditions survey, reported by API Magazine, found 67% of small builders struggle to recruit or keep skilled workers, 88% report approval times longer than eight weeks, and more than 85% of regional Victorian small builders cite rising insurance costs as a major constraint.
Put simply: the councils with the biggest numbers have to compete for the same crews, and the councils with smaller numbers have the fewest crews to start with.
Where modular fits
Modules suit the parts of each target that are small, repeated and hard to staff:
- Second dwellings and replacement homes on existing lots in country towns.
- Small groups of key worker homes on council, health or employer land.
- Social and community housing in regional centres.
- The community buildings that growth needs: kindergartens, health rooms, club rooms and offices.
The state is already using modular in the regions. Build Australia reported on 21 August 2026 that more than 350 modular social homes are planned by mid-2028 across Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo, Ararat and Gippsland, and Yahoo Finance reported in September 2026 that more than 70 had been delivered to regional areas, with 136 under construction. See our article on Victoria’s 350 modular social homes.
What does not fit
Modules do not fix slow approvals, and they do not suit every lot. Tall apartment buildings, very steep sites and sites with no truck or crane access are better served in other ways. Modular is one tool for the targets, not the whole answer.
Who does what
EcoPrestige supplies structural steel volumetric modules. The structural steel frame is fabricated in an offsite factory and inspected there by the project engineer. For homes, design, permit documentation and construction are contracted by our sister company DST Project Management and Construction Pty Ltd, registered domestic builder CDB-U 72187. For council, community and commercial buildings, EcoPrestige coordinates the module design with your consultants; permit drawings are issued by the registered or licensed practitioner the state requires. In Victoria, a PERA-registered structural engineer signs the structure and a registered building surveyor issues the permit; confirm with your building surveyor. Our guide for regional councils covers procurement, and builders can read about our supply-only arrangement.
What councils and builders should send us
- 1. The council area and the town or towns.
- 2. The building type: homes, key worker homes, social housing or community buildings.
- 3. The number of homes or the floor area, and any repeat layouts.
- 4. Land details, survey and planning status.
- 5. Any funding program and its dates.
- 6. Who holds, or will hold, the head contract.
For two of the largest regional centres, see modular construction in Ballarat and modular construction in Bendigo.
FAQ: regional housing targets and modular supply
Which regional Victorian council has the largest 2051 housing target?
Greater Geelong, at 128,600 net new homes, under the Plan for Victoria targets from the Department of Transport and Planning.
What are Mitchell and Ballarat’s 2051 targets?
Mitchell is set at 66,000 net new homes and Ballarat at 46,900, under the Plan for Victoria targets.
Why is building harder in regional Victoria right now?
HIA figures quoted by the Nationals on 26 October 2026 show trade prices rose 18.1% in regional Victoria over the past year while they fell 3.1% in Melbourne, and the HIA has reported shortages of trades, builders, building surveyors and engineers.
Where does modular help a council meet its target?
On second dwellings, replacement homes, key worker homes, social housing and the community buildings that growth needs.
Does EcoPrestige build the homes?
No. EcoPrestige supplies the modules. In Victoria, homes are contracted by our sister company DST Project Management and Construction Pty Ltd, registered domestic builder CDB-U 72187, and commercial buildings by your builder.
Is your council or firm planning against a 2051 target?
Send the site, the use and any drawings to prebuilt@ecoprestige.com.au or download our technical brochures.