Shovels are in the ground at the site of a new $350-million residential development in the Town of Essex that will see more than 500 single-family homes, semi-detached and townhomes built.

Developers Peter and Remo Valente along with Mayor Larry Snively and Deputy Mayor Richard Meloche threw out the first spades of dirt during a ground-breaking ceremony Wednesday morning.

“Since Day 1 of this council, the need for new housing has been a priority,” Snively said. “This project is a big step in the right direction, with a mix of single family homes, semi-detached and townhomes.

“Once complete, this new neighbourhood will offer something for everyone.”

The Essex Town Centre subdivision, located north of Highway 3 and just east of 300 Maidstone Ave., will have 567 residential units when completed.

“The Town of Essex is very well located within the Essex County area,” said Peter Valente, president of the Valente Corporation. “It is a great location to commute to all municipalities.

Snively said the property has been vacant for a long time, adding a housing development there has been “in the making for 18 to 20 years.

“Valente’s come along and they’re really going full guns now on it,” he said. “It’s being developed very quickly.

“This is the biggest residential development we’ve ever seen in the town. We’ve had development happening all the way along but this is a big one and there’s a big demand for housing — we all know that.”

The town has offered up-front financing incentives for infrastructure costs to developers for large projects, hoping to encourage growth, Snively said. Developers are normally responsible for paying to install streets, sewers, etc., in new developments.

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