Basildon New Town Essex Circa 1962

Basildon is the largest town in the borough of Basildon in the county of Essex, England.
It lies 32 miles east of Central London, 11 miles south of the city of Chelmsford and 10 miles west of Southend-on-Sea. Nearby smaller towns include Billericay to the north, Wickford northeast and South Benfleet to the east. It was created as a new town after World War II in 1948 to accommodate the London population overspill, from the conglomeration of four small villages, namely Pitsea, Laindon, Basildon and Vange. The new town which took the name Basildon was the most central of the four. New Towns Act
One of the first acts passed in then Prime Minister Clement Attlee's post-war Labour government was the New Towns Act, 1946.
Amongst the many aims of the Act was to create 'overspill' new towns in an effort to alleviate the overcrowding problems in London following the Second World War and the damage inflicted on its already ageing residential developments.
In November of the same year, Stevenage in Hertfordshire became the first of eight designated 'new towns' between 1946 and 1951.
In 1948 the government granted provisional approval for Basildon to follow suit. Lewis Silkin, Minister of town and country planning, came to Laindon on 30th September 1948 and addressed a large gathering at the High Road school with the words "Basildon will become a city which people from all over the world will want to visit. It will be a place where all classes of community can meet freely together on equal terms and enjoy common cultural recreational facilities."
On January 4th 1949 he officially designated Basildon a 'new town'.
The story and planning of this began many years earlier. At the time of the designation order the designated area of 7,818* acres (some sources 8,834 acres) had a population of around 25,000, mainly concentrated in the existing settlements of Laindon/Langdon Hills, Lee Chapel, Pitsea and Vange. Within the Basildon area were around 8,500 properties, of which a large proportion, 5,600, were below the Housing Act standard. A high proportion were not connected to the main sewer. Vehicular access was also very poor, with the district having 78 miles of unmade roads.
For centuries the land was farmed extensively, but as the farming industry faced an agricultural depression in the late 1870s large pockets of land were sold off to enterprising land companys who offered cheap plots at auction. All this had been made possible by the arrival of the London, Tilbury and Southend Railway which saw stations open, firstly at Pitsea, in 1855, and Laindon in 1888, when a new direct route from Barking to Pitsea was completed. Within a short few years a scattered plotland development had emerged at both Pitsea and Laindon.
Early Years
In February 1949 the government appointed Basildon Development Corporation was formed; its task, to transform the designated area into a modern new town. A Master Plan was drawn up for an expected population of 80,000, though this was later revised to 106,000. Building work soon began and, in 1951 the first new tenants moved into homes built at Redgrave Road in Vange. By 1953 the 1,000 new house had been completed.
Work on creating an Industrial area at Nevendon had also begun with the first new factory operational as early as 1951. Bonallack coachbuilders were one of the first big names to move to Basildon in 1953 followed soon after by the Ford Motor Company, who opened a purpose built radiator plant in 1957.
Some parts of the town required extensive drainage to the landscape - most notable at the area that became Gloucester Park - and this was not considered idealy suitable for a large scale development. Much of the excavated spoil; consisting mainly of London Clay, was used to create artificial hills at various sites around the town, including Gloucester Park and the site of the first Pitsea refuse tip.
The local government district of Basildon, which was formed in 1974 and received borough status in 2010, encapsulates a larger area than the town itself; the two neighbouring towns of Billericay and Wickford, as well as rural villages and smaller settlements set among the surrounding countryside, fall within its borders. Basildon Town is one of the most densely populated areas in the county.
Some of Basildon's residents work in Central London due to the town being well connected in the county to the City of London and the Docklands financial and corporate headquarters districts, with a 36-58 minute journey from the three Basildon stations to London Fenchurch Street. Basildon also has access to the City via road, on the A127, and A13.

[@raythomas4812]

We moved to Basildon (Laindon) in 1970 I was Just 8 , We used to go to Saturday morning Pictures at the (Original) Towngate - as it was Cheaper. I remember going to the ABC too watch Grease, Saturday night Fever, the Exorcist, Towering Inferno etc . Got my first Bike ( a Chopper ) from Halfords. Most of my records came from Basildon Market - spent ages flicking though the records...Worked in Tesco's Pitsea ( when it first opened ) Really lovely memories. Went to Chaudhry infants and Laindon high road . 3 members of my family are now in Pitsea Crematorium . I moved away just 10 years ago. I have really fond memories of Basildon, but I don't miss it.

[@Lpph96]

Awesome footage cheers. It really does look ahead of its time for 1962, shame it hasn't been taken care of to keep it looking as modern as it once did

[@johnselby5850]

I was raised in Laindon, we had a chicken farm in Church Rd, I attended Laindon Park primary, then the High Rd secondary schools. I can remember before there was a Basildon town centre it being a locality.

[@toefinder123]

Born in Basildon in 1961 , now live in Cornwall . I left in 1986, I have some good memories. My brother David Thomas was a member of the amateur dramatic club at the Towngate theatre. .

[@alansteed]

At point 0:28, the part that juts out above used to be the How Wah Chinese Restaurant! I spent many happy times with friends at that place!

[@chazzas3469]

It's always interesting to know what and how things used to be.

[@brianblueboy4786]

Lived there for 7 years moved away now thank god

[@MrJonpac]

When England was England . Its a Shame about these days.

[@paulgilson2347]

Born in Basildon in 1983 and even in the late 80's early 90's it weren't much different to then. The grass in the high street though...

[@rubyhart9326]

Omg that car park is still there after all that time, also did you hear that the roof fell down on the walkway next to boots!

[@mackenzierough]

That's amazing after all these years and no I didn't know about the roof falling down!

[@garylucas7050]

A time where people had morals , respect and a bit about them , majority that live there now think the world owes them a living , shame how it’s only taken 30 yrs to to take a worthy place to live into a place you wouldn’t want to live unless you are one of the aforementioned....

[@youdidntseemycomment9445]

Isn’t that like most places?

[@AutoWorldzz]

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[@mackenzierough]

Thank you very much, I'm glad that you are enjoying my channel.

[@paulgradley7183]

Shame all gone

[@neilbillybob3065]

A NEW TOWN CESSPIT NOW... OR SHOULD I SAY THIRD WORLD ONE.. YES I WILL.