Basildon News
The latest Basildon news: planning decisions, council and crime updates, business and community stories, each linked back to its official source.
Top story
Billericay 175 Homes Recommended for Approval on 7 October
Officers back 175 Green Belt homes off Tye Common Road, Billericay, despite 317 objections. The 7 October committee also weighs 95 homes at Ramsden Bellhouse.
More stories
Wickford
Wickford Named Anglia in Bloom Essex Champion for 2026
Wickford is Anglia in Bloom's Essex Champion for 2026, with Gold for the town and Memorial Park. Two years ago it was a Silver Gilt newcomer.
Billericay
Lake Meadows Parking: Weekdays to Cost One 50p Ticket
Billericay's Lake Meadows car park would charge one 50p weekday ticket, bought 2pm to 3pm, instead of up to £3.70. A 21-day consultation comes first.
Basildon
Towngate Theatre Bids for £315,000 for a New Sound System
The Towngate Theatre is through to the final round for up to £315,000 of Arts Council money. Its 2008 sound system is failing; the full bid is due 23 October.
Planning
Basildon Planning Applications: 8 Homes at Bowers Gifford
27 applications validated in Basildon borough this week: eight homes at Bowers Gifford, a change to the Billericay 130-homes deal and a listed hall's roof.
Business
New Basildon Businesses: 22 Firms Registered in a Fortnight
22 companies registered in Basildon from 11 to 25 September, from a Southernhay café to eight building firms. Plus the local firms that went into liquidation.
Billericay
Billericay By-Election 22 October: Nominations Shut Friday
Ten electors forced a poll instead of a co-option. Billericay East votes on 22 October, and nomination papers must be in by 4pm on Friday 25 September.
Local Plan
Basildon Local Plan: Have Your Say by Tuesday Midnight
The Reg 19 consultation on 27,918 homes closes 11.59pm on Tuesday 22 September. Ministers ordered it, and it is the last chance before examination.
House prices
Basildon House Prices: Flats £10,307 Down Since 2023
Basildon's average hit £367,233 in July, up 0.6% while Essex fell. But flats are worth £10,307 less than in January 2023, and detached homes are down too.
Basildon
Basildon Claimant Count Up 95 in August to 4,640
Basildon's claimant count rose 95 in August to 4,640, the most of any Essex district. St Martin's ward is on 6.6 per cent, Billericay East on 1.8.
Basildon
Basildon Regeneration: Former M&S to Become Offices
The council's 22 September update sets the former M&S as public sector offices: consultants in October, consultation this winter, planning in spring 2027.
Community
Herman In My Pocket: Basildon Hospital Author's Next Book
Pooligan, a second children's book written with the author's youngest granddaughter, is due in December. S.K. Grizzell works on Basildon Hospital's wards.
Community
Peaceful Place Basildon at 30: Appeal for 30 Firms
Basildon dementia charity Peaceful Place wants 30 firms to give £1,000 a year for three years. Two family carers made the second pledge. Party on 24 September.
Council
Basildon and Thurrock Merger Withdrawn After Legal Advice
The government has withdrawn the March decision that would have merged Basildon with Thurrock in 2028, after updated legal advice. May 2027 elections go ahead.
Council
Basildon £100,000 Community Grants Open: Up to £5,000 Each
Basildon groups can apply for up to £5,000 from a new £100,000 fund. Every bid needs a ward councillor's backing, and the first panel sits in mid October.
Council
Basildon Council Reserves: £41m Could Fall to £1m by 2030
Basildon's own report says reserves would fall from £41m to £977,000 by 2029/30 if this year's £3.4m overspend and the budget gap come out of them.
Planning
Basildon 24-Hour Gym Plan for Festival Leisure Park
Anytime Fitness wants the empty unit above Slim Chickens at Festival Leisure Park open as a gym 24 hours a day. Basildon decides by 23 October.
Planning
Billericay 910 Homes: Appeal Lodged Over Council Delay
Up to 910 Green Belt homes at Foots Farm have gone to appeal, 177 days after the deadline to decide them passed. One of 502 neighbours commented.
Housing
Basildon Council Homes: 158 Empty, 2,376 Waiting
Basildon owns 10,863 council homes. On 31 March 2025, 158 stood empty, 68 of them for more than six months, while 2,376 households sat on the housing register.
Basildon
Northlands Park Green Flag: free event, Sat 12 Sept
The Mayor raises Basildon's first Green Flag at Northlands Park just after 10am on Saturday 12 September. Free football, tennis, cricket and fishing until 1pm.
Basildon
Former M&S Basildon: food hall and padel plan pulled
Basildon Council applied to turn the empty former M&S into a food hall, maker studios and padel courts, then withdrew it on 6 July. Nobody had objected.
Trains
Wickford Derailment: Train Was Doing 77mph, RAIB Confirms
The RAIB has opened an investigation into the Wickford derailment. Its first account puts 62 people on board, a kink in the track, and 1.5 miles run on sleepers.
Heritage
Basildon Blue Plaque: Inspector Frost Written in Long Riding
The new plaque marks the Long Riding house where R.D. Wingfield wrote most of the Inspector Frost books. It is the borough's twelfth. Here are the other eleven.
Trains
Basildon Trains Slower From 25 August as Clay Dries Out
c2c journeys from Basildon, Laindon and Pitsea run up to eight minutes longer from 25 August. Billericay and Wickford follow on 1 September. Here is why.
Planning
Billericay 250 Homes: Comments Close 13 September
Revised plans for 250 homes on Green Belt land west of Laindon Road would drop shared ownership. Comments close 13 September, and no resident has written in.
Health
Basildon Hospital A&E: £6m Upgrade, 12-Hour Waits Rising
£6m will more than double Basildon Hospital's rapid assessment area from September. In July, 1,455 A&E patients there spent more than 12 hours in the department.
House prices
Basildon House Prices June 2026: Revised Up to £362,399
Land Registry has revised June's Basildon average up to £362,399, an annual fall of £1,507 rather than £3,612. Rochford next door rose 6.2 per cent.
Planning
Billericay 130 homes: half affordable, comments to 25 Aug
Half the 130 homes planned off London Road would be affordable: 28 affordable rent, 25 shared ownership, 6 social rent, 6 First Homes. Comments close 25 Aug.
Trains
Wickford Derailment: Line Reopened After 12 Days Shut
The line through Wickford reopened on 26 August, 12 days after the derailment. Southminster buses run to 28 August. What happened, and what still is not normal.
Planning
Laindon children's home asks to take children as young as 9
Aden Homes wants the minimum age at its two-child home in Kathleen Ferrier Crescent cut from 13 to 9. Ofsted registered it on 24 July; comments close 6 September.
Business
Studio 360 Billericay: gym in liquidation owing £743,749
The Radford Crescent gym's own statement of affairs lists £743,749 owed, eight staff owed £23,156 between them, and nothing left to repay creditors.
Planning
Facemed applies to turn two Crays Hill homes into offices
FACE Invest Ltd wants The Firs and Willowmead on Oak Avenue as offices and staff space for the clinic, partly retrospective. Decision due by 5 October.