To the Rt. Hon. Hugh Dalton, M.P.,
     Minister of Town and Country Planning.

GENERAL
     This first report records the activities of the Basildon Development Corporation over the period of fourteen months from the date of its establishment to 31st March, 1950.
     The Corporation was established on 3rd February, 1949, and the following members were appointed:
         Sir Lancelot Keay, K.B.E., F.R.I.B.A. (Chairman).
         Mr. E. L. Protheroe (Deputy Chairman).
         Mr. M. Auliff, J.P.
         Mrs. E. J. Gregory, O.B.E., J.P.
         Mrs W. M. Knight, J.P.
         Mr. F. C. Jobson, J.P.
         Colonel S. A. Smith, M.C., M.I.C.E.
     Mrs. D. M. Sargent was appointed a member on 20th May, 1949.
     For the first eight months of its life the activities of the Corporation were severely restricted by lack of office accommodation. Only a skeleton staff could be usefully employed in the two rooms placed at the Corporation's disposal in London by your Ministry; no building suitable for offices was immediately available in or near the designated area, and it was not until the middle of October, 1949, that the Corporation was able to take possession of Gifford House, near Pitsea, and to set a nucleus of essential staff to work. Since that time good progress has been made and, to meet the needs of an expanding staff, new office buildings are being erected in the grounds.

STAFF
     It is the opinion of the Corporation that it is desirable both on grounds of efficiency and economy that the work relating to planning of the new town in all its aspects should be undertaken by its own staff as far as possible. It was therefore decided in the first place to appoint a Chief Architect Planner and to entrust to him the preparation of the master plan. Similarly, the employment of Consulting Engineers is not at present envisaged.
     Consultants have been appointed only where it was considered that this procedure would be more economical than increasing the permanent staff of the Corporation. They are a Landscape Architect and Quantity Surveyors.
     Brigadier W. G. D. Knapton, C.B.E., M.I.R.E., was appointed General Manager and joined on 23rd May, 1949. Thereafter the following Senior Officers were appointed and joined on the dates given below:
       Chief Architect Planner—Mr. N. Tweddell, A.R.I.B.A., 13th June, 1949.
       Chief Finance Officer—Mr. G. R. Rawes, F.I.M.T.A., A.C.I.S., 1st September, 1949.
       Chief Solicitor—Mr. R. C. C. Boniface, 1st October, 1949.
       Senior Engineer—Mr. H. W. Dupree, A.M.I.C.E., 7th December, 1949.

AREA
     The area designated as the site of the new town covers 7,834 acres, of which 7,546 lie within the limits of the Billericay U.D.C., and the remainder (288 acres) within Thurrock U.D.C. The present population in this area is approximately 25,000, many of whom are living under congested and unsatisfactory conditions in sporadic development of a semi-urban nature centred mainly around Laindon and Pitsea. The task imposed upon the Corporation of building a new town with a total population of some 50,000 inhabitants involves, therefore, both new development, intended primarily to accommodate surplus population from London, and the incorporation, with redevelopment of existing buildings where necessary, of the present community together with the necessary industries and services. This presents a planning problem of peculiar difficulty.

PRELIMINARIES TO PLANNING
     Work started in October, 1949, when possession of temporary offices at Gifford House was obtained and a nucleus of technical staff joined for duty. The six months ending 31st March, 1950, have principally been spent in carrying ouy a planning survey of the area, in obtaining other factual information required for the preparation of the master plan, and in opening negotiations with Government Departments, Local Authorities, Statutory Undertakers, etc.
     The following base maps are now virtually complete:
         Topography.
         Geology.
         Land Use.
         Age and Condition of Property.
         Farm Units.
         Sites of Buildings of Historic Interest.
         Roads, classified, district, private and unmade.
         Sewerage.
         Gas.
         Electricity.
         Water.
         Bus routes.

MASTER PLAN
     With the completion of additional office accommodation this month it has been possible to appoint further technical staff. Work is therefore proceeding on an estimate of the existing population of the designated area, on a study of the rateable value of all properties, and on existing facilities in the way of shops, clubs, churches and similar social activities. The preparation of an outline master plan has now started and it is hoped to circulate this to the authorities more directly concerned as a basis for discussion this summer; this will be followed by general publication of a draft master plan for public discussion in the autumn.
     It is too early to forecast the form the master plan will take but attention may appropriately be drawn to the particular difficulties of this area, namely an existing population of approximately 25,000 people (believed to be the largest existing population of any new town so far designated) living in dwellings for the most part of poor construction and design, and substandard in amenity and services; the very low density of most of this development, the large area of waste land interspersed with and adjacent to this development; the absence of made up roads and drainage. Not only will these factors affect the layout of the new town but they will materially affect the phasing of redevelopment and the economics of the new town proposals. The addition of local industry is essential not only to provide employment for the immigrants but to minimise local unemployment and to reduce the large number of people now travelling daily to London and elsewhere to work. Further, the site of the new town is most favourably situated in relation to the many small townships in the region, and is closely linked to the industrial markets of East London, and the Docks. Apart from the social and economic difficulties of redevelopment already referred to, there is little doubt that the town is well sited and will be of great advantage to this part of Essex.

CONSTRUCTIONAL WORK
     The desirability of the early establishment of industry, and the desire of three important industrial concerns to come to Basildon has resulted, after discussion with your Ministry, in the establishment of an industrial area of 180 acres at Nevendon in the north east quarter of the designated area. A Section 3 (1) Proposal for this development was submitted to you for approval on 10th February, 1950, following discussions and agreement on the details of planning with the County and District Councils and Ministry of Transport. As soon as your approval is received a contract for roads, sewers, etc., will be let for opening up the first part of this estate.
     It is also expected that a start will be made on the erection of the three factories referred to above, during the financial year 1950-51.
     A start will be made on the full allocation of houses by the Ministry of Health now that staff is available, and it is hoped to let the first contract this summer. These houses will be built on several sites of 2-3 acres in extent among existing development. The allocation of these houses will, of course, be made in the main to persons on the housing list of exporting Boroughs who are pressing us to relieve their acute housing problem. It will be necessary to control the tenancies to provide for a balanced inflow in the correct proportion of workers in the building trade and other industries and services.
     It is intended to let a further contract for about 100 houses on one new site later in the year.

LABOUR
     As with nearly all new towns the availability of building labour will largely govern the rate of building and civil engineering development. Discussions have therefore been initiated with the Ministry of Works and Ministry of Labour as to how this problem can best be solved. The conclusions reached are that, with careful programming and placing of contracts, labour within daily travelling distance should suffice for the next year. During this time building labour now travelling out of the region to work may return to local employment in which case the labour position may well be more satisfactory than with other new towns. The possibility of having to provide a labour camp in 2 or 3 years' time cannot however be ruled out, though this will be avoided on the score of expense if possible.

PLANNING CONTROL
     In accordance with your direction the Corporation is consulted by the Planning Authority on all applications for development made to them. Administratively the procedure is satisfactory, but, as is to be expected in an area of this size and with this population, the amount of development proposed by building owners is not inconsiderable. Much of this development is naturally (but unintentionally) directed to establishing and solidifying the existing state of the area, and therefore tends to make redevelopment more difficult and more costly.
     In consultation with the local Planning Authorities it has been found that there are a large number of outstanding planning permissions which have not yet been executed but which, if implemented, would materially hinder the development of the new town or would be harmful to its appearance. Steps are being taken to obtain your permission to revoke more unsuitable development permissions and to make other permissions to the submission of more satisfactory designs. In some cases outstanding permissions relate to industrial buildings, and negotiations are in hand for the transfer of these to the first industrial estate at Nevendon.
     In all cases subject to planning control due consideration is taken of any hardship arising from a planning decision, and in some cases partially inappropriate development is permitted where no better solution can be found.

INTERIM DEVELOPMENT
     In order to avoid the cessation of all private building activity while the master plan is in preparation, sections of existing development containing a large proportion of roads and sewers and reasonably permanent houses have been nominated as "retention areas" in which, with the agreement of the Local Authorities and your Ministry, the existing layout will be retained, and inflling take place on vacant plots. Where prospective building owners are in possession of sites on which the erection of new properties would prejudice wholesale redevelopment, the Corporation recommends that the Local Planning Authority should refuse permission for building, but that alternative sites in the retention areas should be offered in lieu.
     Much of the present development intimately affects the problem of the social and economic organisation of the new town, making decisions on the siting of public buildings, shops and service industries a matter of urgency. Studies are now being made in an effort to solve this problem effectively.
     Many of the existing residents are owners of large plots, often well cultivated and in some cases operated as small holdings. Such ownerships exist in close proximity to the present shopping centres, making for development of extremely low density at a point where the economic development of the town is likely to demand a high density. The more satisfactory small holdings will perform an essential function in the feeding of the town, and areas are being surveyed with a view to finding alternative sites on the perimeter so that, where such owners apply for permission to develop their properties, refusal on the grounds of inappropriate siting may be accompanied by an offer of an alternative site.

SCHOOLS
     Preliminary discussions have been held with the County Education Authority, with a view to establishing a policy for the provision grouping of schools. In addition to the normal primary and secondary schools a site is likely to be required within the region for a technical college and two branch county colleges. It is possible that the new town might prove to be a suitable location for some or all of these units. The total demand for land is considerable, especially since so many otherwise favourable sites are occupied by sparse shack development which cannot be disturbed for some years. A proportion of existing schools are on cramped sites and may have to be accommodated elsewhere before appropriate expansion can take place.

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