Housing shortages in Roxby Downs may soon be a thing of the past as BHP Billiton last week initiated a three-stage process advertising for housing developers.

As part of the Olympic Dam expansion, the company is seeking developers to build up to 2000 houses and a 2000 room camp-style singles development.

The project will be aimed at supplying living preferences for future workers of the mine and will suit families and fly-in fly-out workers, a company spokesperson said.

"The first stage of the process will pre-qualify developers able to demonstrate they have the experience, expertise and financial capacity to undertake significant parts of the development," the spokesperson said.

"BHP Billiton's preference is that a small number of developers will be selected to be responsible for the design, financing and construction of the required accommodation."

The company had set a prospective plan to progress the town's accommodation development between 2010 and 2018, which is yet to be finalised and approved by Federal and State governments and the company's board.

But while a 2000 house development may seem substantial, Craig Sumsion from Roxby Downs Raine and Horne real estate does not think it is as big as people would believe.

"To put those houses in over a long period of time is not a lot more than the town is growing anyway," Mr Sumsion said.

There has been a feeling around the country that it was always difficult to find accommodation in Roxby, Mr Sumsion said, and while this was true six months ago, the current pressure the market is facing is not as drastic.

"Vacancy rates are pretty low here," he said.

"They're not as low as they were six months ago when you could put a property on the rental market this morning and have tenants lined up by the afternoon."

Mr Sumsion believed that while the possible housing development would be positive for the town, it would not change the town dynamic, only making the town bigger than it already is.

BHP Billiton's plan to progressively develop accommodation strategies for the expansion of the mine in 2013 is still in its infancy, the spokesperson said.

At present the company is only looking for pre-qualified developers who are able to demonstrate experience for the possible future expansion of the town.