MAC lines up work in Karratha

THE MAC Services Group has been selected as preferred tenderer to build accommodation for more than 1,400 people in Karratha next year in a bid to ease the demand for short-term housing. The motel-style village will sit on a 20-hectare site at Gap Ridge. Planning and Infrastructure Minister Alannah MacTiernan said up to 40 per cent of the units would be set aside for civil works contractors, builders and trades people working on residential developments in the town. “Strong growth in the resources sector has placed pressure on the region’s real estate market, but building more houses quickly was difficult, as construction workers themselves couldn’t find accommodation,” she said. “We are well aware that employee accommodation challenges are also holding back the growth of other local businesses, so this announcement is a great outcome for the town.”