A £500 MILLION homes and business complex where one of Chelmsford's most famous exports was once produced has been hailed as the "rebirth of the city centre".
Scroll down for a video from on highChelmsford City Council leader Councillor Roy Whitehead made the remark at the launch of the 418-home Marconi Evolution project off New Street.
Speaking at the opening of Bellway Homes's marketing centre on Thursday, Cllr Whitehead said: "This is an exciting development right in the heart of Chelmsford.
"It's the rebirth of the city centre, people living right in the middle – I'll be astounded if all the properties aren't snapped up."
The homes will be a range of one- to three-bedroom apartments, complemented by three- to four-bedroom homes.
Prices range from £184,995 for a one bedroom flat to £459,995 for a four bedroom house.
Cllr Whitehead said the redevelopment of the 3.99 hectare site, which is expected to take about three years, complemented projects such as the apartments above Chelmsford bus station and homes being built opposite the railway station.
He continued: "I'm always being asked three things about Marconi – what is being done to protect the heritage, will the site be turned into a museum, and the jobs lost when the factory closed.
"We have had part of Chelmsford Museum extended to house part of the Marconi collection, and the lost jobs have just moved down to the university site," he said, referring to the high-tech jobs at Anglia Ruskin University's MedTech centre.
In terms of heritage, Bellway has restored the flagship Grade II 1912 building, which is earmarked for commercial use. It is also retaining the water tower and pumphouse, the latter of which will host a gym and concierge service.
Blue paving stones will also run across the site with occasional 'splashes' to represent radio transmissions, and the apartment blocks have Italian names, in an ode to Guglielmo Marconi.
And there are clear nods to the site's former use in their one- and two-bedroom show flats, with pop art of the founder of Marconi among other touches.
Richard Burrows, managing director of Bellway Homes Essex, said: "It's taken about two-and-a-half years or so to where we find ourselves today, and its fair to say it's been an absolutely successful partnership from the architects to the city council – we had planning permission in 13 weeks.
"We'll have a concierge on site so you won't have to worry about the UPS man coming, and we'll have a residents' gym on site.
"They'll also be a brand new office for Bellway Homes Essex on site, so that's bringing jobs back.
"We understand how important this site is for the city and have worked closely with the community and Chelmsford City Council to bring forward a scheme that will really benefit the area."
More than 170 people attended the launch weekend to view the new properties, with 24 homes so far reserved.
