Southernhay

Southernhay was the first completed road in the designated area that became the town centre. It was formally opened in June 1957 by the Duke & Duchess of Gloucester. This, and the Roundacre roundabout becoming operational from 1958, enabled a through bus service for the first time between Laindon and Pitsea with buses stopping in Basildon at a new bus station in South Walk.

The first shop units in Southernhay were completed in 1959. Nine residential maisonettes in blocks of three were also built above shop units 59, 69 and 79. These are odd numbered 87 - 103.

In the late 1970s a large part of Southernhay was closed to traffic and the road realigned to run parallel with the railway. Traffic began using the new realignment from 25/02/1980. This was to allow construction of phase one of Eastgate and the later phase two project part of which was built over the former road. The Nether Priors junction with Southernhay was also removed and the road shortened as part of phase one. Another development taking shape at the eastern end of the town was the construction of a Toys "R" Us store and this in conjunction with phase one lead to the remaining roadway directly in front of the shop units being paved. The zebra crossing in front of East Walk was no longer needed and Long Riding was also shortened from its former junction with Southernhay to a new roundabout constructed further east which linked in with the new realignment.

As a point of interest the land on which Toys R Us was built in the 1980s had years earlier been chosen for the towns' cinema which was earmarked to open sometime in the early 1960s. The plans were later changed and the cinema eventually opened in 1971 in Great Oaks.

Text researched and written by William Cox, 2012.
Copyright © 2012, B. Cox - Basildon History Online. All rights reserved.