MONTHS of uncertainty are over for one family-of-six who are among the first tenants in a major Chelmsford housing scheme.
The Redmond family had been forced to look for new accommodation after their previous landlord told them he was selling up. And Mark, 36, feared his children Luke, 15, Callum, 11, Tyler, 11 and Bobby, 3, along with his fiancée, Sue Hart, would be forced to spend Christmas in a hostel or temporary accommodation if they were unable to find anywhere suitable.
But, in what the dad-of-four described as a "little Christmas miracle", the family got a place in the new Marconi Evolution development off New Street, with Chelmsford mayor Councillor Bob Villa officially handing over the keys to the family.
"We were worried we would be put up in hotels over Christmas, but now we're having Christmas here," said Mark. "You bid on properties, and you don't know how long it will take or if you'll get anything, but this is just right.
"This is just ideal for our family, because you don't get many properties that could fit in a family of six.
"I'm so excited to have moved in here, it's such a lovely place. The rooms are big enough for the kids to run about, we have a bunk bed in one of them and there's still space for the kids to play."
The Redmonds are among the first six families to move into the 118 affordable housing and shared ownership homes from housing association Colne Housing.
Private tenants are already living in the Marconi Evolution complex, which retains elements of the site used by the wireless company from 1912 to 2008.
Chelmsford Community Radio is thought to be moving into the water tower, while the iconic 1912 building will be the new home of Benefit Cosmetics.
Clare Bennett, Colne's neighbourhood officer, who oversees the affordable housing properties and helps people sustain their tenancies, said: "Everyone who viewed these properties accepted them; it just goes to show the standard. I love it here – there's not many places you have a view of the beautiful water tower."
So far, Colne has six houses and nine flats as part of phase one, with all of them completed by 2017.
Cllr Villa said: "It's been a privilege to hand over the keys to a resident."
