A Dutch neighbourhood will be the site of a what is claimed to be a world-first 3D-printed housing development, with the first residents due to move in as soon as next year.

The partners in the project, called Project Milestone, said it is a world-first because the 3D-printed houses in the development will all be occupied.

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Their plan is to print five multi-storey, sustainable, fully habitable concrete homes.

"3D-printing of concrete is a potential game-changer in the building industry," the developers said in a statement.

The project partners said the technology allowed it to create homes in almost any shape, and to print "all kinds, qualities and colours of concrete, all in a single product".

3D-printed homes make customisation a lot easier, and cheaper. ( Supplied: 3D-Printed House )

Customisation is also easier and cheaper with 3D-printed homes, the project partners claim.

They said the buildings have been designed to appear as "erratic blocks in a green landscape".

Their irregular contours are possible thanks to the ability of 3D printers to generate almost any shape.

The developers say the design aims to be environmentally friendly, including not having a natural gas connection — which the partners said is quite rare in The Netherlands.

"Another important advantage is sustainability, as much less concrete is needed and hence much less cement, which reduces the CO2 emissions originating from cement production," they said.

The project is being conducted in partnership with The Eindhoven University of Technology — which is in the same city as the neighbourhood due to receive the 3D-printed dwellings.

The first house will be a single-storey, three-room, 95-square-metre home, with the next four homes being built as multi-storey dwellings.

The team hopes to gradually transfer more and more of the actual 3D printing process to the build site as the project progresses, with plans for the last home to be created completely on-site.

The homes are expected to be rented out to tenants in 2019, and will be subject to all the ordinary building regulations applicable to other dwellings.