To the Rt. Hon. Hugh Dalton, M.P.,
     Minister of Local government and Planning.

INTRODUCTION
     This report records the work of the Basildon Development Corporation from Ist April, 1950, to 31st March, 1951.
     The primary task before the Corporation during this period has been the preparation and completion of the Master Plan which was submitted for your approval in February, 1951.
     Work on the construction of the new town has also begun. As indicated in the First Annual Report, it was necessary to take an early decision on the siting of the Industrial Area, and 180 acres of land adjoining the London to Southend Arterial Road was selected for this purpose. The first contract for site works was let in April, 1950, and roads and engineering services to serve 13 acres in the Industrial Area are complete; further contracts to open up another 87 acres are in progress.
     The first Housing contract was let in September, 1950, and contracts are now in progress for 267 houses, of which 9 are nearing completion and will be occupied in the early summer of 1951; a further 209 are scheduled for completion by the end of the year.
     The total value of the Civil Engineering and Building contracts completed and in progress at 31st March, 1951, was £684,267.

PLANNING
Master Plan
     Work on the Master Plan has been carried out entirely by the Corporation's own planning staff under direction of the Chief Architect Planner, Mr. N. Tweddell, A.R.I.B.A.
     The population originally envisaged for Basildon by the Advisory Committee on Greater London Planning was 50,000 persons. There are already some 25,000 persons in the Designated Area living mainly in and around the existing centres of Pitsea and Laindon. Preliminary surveys conducted by the Corporation demonstrated at an early stage that it would be possible to provide dwellings for 50,000 people by increasing to an urban density existing scattered development in Laindon, Langdon Hills, Lee Chapel, Vange and Pitsea. The result however would be two towns, not one, lacking industry, adequate open space, suitably sited schools and a road pattern appropriate to the needs of the area. If these essentials to a full and balanced urban life were provided and an attempt made to join the two towns, the result would be an emaciated dumbbell which could not be described as a viable unit; the lengths of major roads and services required for such a town would be excessive for a population of 50.000, and therefore uneconomic, and could in fact serve adequately a population of 80,000 to 90,000 persons. Detailed study has shown that there are no insuperable difficulties in providing gas, electricity and sewerage facilities for a town of this latter size, and the implementation of the Hanningfield Water Scheme should assure an adequate supply of water. The Master Plan for the new town has therefore been prepared, after consultation with the officers of your Ministry, on the assumption that the ultimate population of Basildon will be in the neighbourhood of 80,000 people.

     Preliminary statistical surveys, which began in October, 1949, were followed by the preparation of sketch plans to serve as a basis for discussion and consultation with Government Departments concerned, Planning Authority, Education Authority, Statutory Undertakers and the numerous other official bodies whose needs and requirements necessarily form the basis of any Development Plan.

     By the Autumn of 1950 work was sufficiently far advanced to enable definite proposals to be put forward in the shape of a Draft Outline Plan. At this stage, with a view to associating residents of the new town area with the planning of their new town, a series of exhibitions were held at various places within the Designated Area to acquaint residents with the Corporation's draft proposals and to invite comment and constructive criticism from the public generally and from the numerous local associations. A number of helpful suggestions were received from these sources, many of which have been incorporated in the Master Plan as submitted to you.
     The Master Plan was submitted for your approval in February, 1951. The Plan, which is reproduced as Appendix Plan A, was accompanied by the large number of supporting maps and documents listed at Appendix B. The Schedule of Consultations is at Appendix C.

PLANNING CONTROL
     As would be expected in an area containing 25,000 people, there is continual pressure from private developers to add to and alter existing properties and to erect new dwellings. It is unfortunate, though quite understandable, that the standards of most of the development proposed are the same as have existed in the area for the past 30 years. They are in accordance with the tradition of the district but quite out of keeping with the proposals for a new town. It will be necessary for the Corporation and the Planning Authority to improve the standards of design and construction of all buildings erected in the Designated Area, and to ensure that they are in the right place. Present development is scattered over some 3,500 acres of land, and to continue and consolidate such sprawl can only make the creation of a new town more dificult and more expensive.

     In accordance with Ministerial direction, the Corporation is consulted by the Planning Authority on all applications relating to development in the Designated Area made to it; under this procedure 200 applications have been considered by the Corporation during this year.

     There are outstanding 220 planning permissions relating to development in the Designated Area granted before the constitution of the Development Corporation; these are being examined in the light of the Master Plan submitted to you, and in 88 cases revocation or modification process has already been initiated.

PROGRAMME
Three Year Construction Programme
     With several contracts under way it has been possible to make a preliminary assessment of the labour and contract organisation necessary to fulfil the programme. It has become apparent that the condition of the clay soil in the six months from October to March restricts the use of large scale mechanical operations on site works and foundations. Methods of working and the timing of all contracts up to D. P. C. level are being reconsidered for this reason.
     In October, 1950, the Corporation approved a programme of construction for a three-year period covering services, housing and ancillary buildings such as schools, for which approval would be sought through the County Council. The programme for house building submitted to your Ministry was:—

     It was believed by the Regional Officer of the Ministry of Labour that the labour force working on the new town could be increased at the rate of 100 per month. The actual figures for the year show a much slower increase, due partly to the fact that the building programme is in its early stages, partly to bad weather, and partly to the difficulty experienced in tapping the sources of local labour, which are bound up in a very large number of small firms. Shortages have occurred not only in bricklayers and carpenters, but also in the operatives of specialist firms, and among competent general labour.
     Figures for those employed were as follows:—

April 1950	...	31		January, 1951	...	142
July 1950	...	55		March 1951	...	157
October 1950	...	116

     It seems unlikely that labour conditions will improve until the completion of such housing projects as Aveley and Harold Hill. Local contractors are being employed to the greatest possible extent, but large numbers of the smaller firms specialise in repair work and do not have the capacity to undertake new housing work.

ENGINEERING SERVICES
Survey
     Ground survey has proceeded during the year in advance of proposed development, and an area of 500 acres has now been surveyed.
     A soil survey of these areas has also been carried out. Some 86 test bores have been made in order to ascertain the bearing capacity and sulphate content of the soil.

Sewerage, General
     The Corporation has applied to you for an order under Section 9 of the New Towns Act, 1946, enabling it to exercise the powers of a local authority under sub-sections 1, 2 and 3 of Section 15 of the Public Health Act, 1936, and incidental powers under that Act and the Public Health Act, 1937, with regard to sewerage of the Designated Area.

Sewerage and Sewage Treatment Works
     The installation of a new main sewerage system and sewage disposal works is a major and limiting factor in the final programme for the construction of the new town. To enable development to continue meanwhile it became necessary to prepare a short term proposal. This consists of a scheme for the extension of the existing sewage works of the Billericay Urban District Council at Shotgate by recirculating the effluent through the filters and also a scheme for the duplication of an existing rising main. These proposals have been submitted to you by the Billericay Urban District Council and your approval is awaited.
     To assist the Corporation in reaching decisions upon the best method of dealing with the sewerage of the New Town they appointed a firm of Consulting Engineers, Messrs. Sandford Fawcett and Partners, 53, Victoria Street, London, S.W.1, to investigate the proposals made by their Chief Engineer, and if necessary to submit alternative schemes.
     The Corporation has endeavoured to find the most efficient method of sewage disposal with the lowest initial and running costs and one which will cause the least delay in the development of the new town.
     Seven-eighths of the designated area drain naturally towards the River Crouch and one-eighth towards the estuary of the River Thames. Supported by the opinions of their Chief Engineer and their Consultants the Corporation has accepted the view expressed in your Ministry's Explanatory Memorandum to the Draft Basildon New Town (Designation) Order, 1948, and is convinced that the drainage of the new town will be most economically and expeditiously dealt with by discharging it into the River Crouch. In reaching this decision the Corporation has taken into account the possible effect upon the oyster beds of discharging sewage effluent into the River Crouch, but is advised by experts that the degree of pollution need not produce any detrimental effect.
     A detailed report dealing with the many schemes which have been examined by the Corporation has been submitted to your Ministry. Consideration has also been given to certain alternative suggestions and technical data applicable to them has also been supplied. The anxiety of the Corporation is to arrive as quickly as possible at the most efficient sewerage system for the Area which can be made to come into operation in the shortest time and be carried out with the least capital expenditure and function with the lowest maintenance and running cost. It is because, with the technical information supplied them, they feel this is more likely to be achieved by draining to the Crouch, they have favoured the scheme which provides for this.

Surface Water Drainage
     An outline scheme for the surface water drainage of the town has been prepared, and this allows for dealing with thé problem in a very economical manner. The intention is to discharge the surface water into existing water courses at the first possible point and to avoid flooding the water-courses and generally embarrassing the Rivers Board further down-stream. It is intended, in times of heaviest run-off, to retain the surface water in washland areas, and the rates of discharge from these areas will be limited to the present extent. This would have the further advantage of avoiding any undue reduction of salinity in the River Crouch which was one of the fears expressed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries in considering the effects of the new town on the oyster industries in that river.
     In view of the economy and comparative rapidity of construction of the Corporation's proposals the Corporation hopes that you will not wish to adopt any more complex arrangement.

Water Supply and Distribution
     The Corporation understands that a scheme for a new impounding reservoir at Hanningfield, which was promoted jointly by the South Essex Water Company and the Southend Waterworks Company, has received your approval and, in this case, the Southend Waterworks Company does not anticipate difficulty in meeting the requirements of the town.

Gas Supply and Distribution
     A site for the gas holders has been agreed and working arrangements made with the North Thames Gas Board. No difficulty is anticipated.

Electricity Supply and Distribution
     Working arrangements have been made and no difficulties are anticipated.

G.P.O. Telephones
     Negotiations have taken place with the G.P.O. regarding the undergrounding of their cables. Following cost studies, the G.P.O. have agreed to provide underground services at Nevendon Industrial Area and at Cranes Farm Housing Estate without cost to the Corporation.

Main Roads
     The Corporation's detailed proposals are shown in the draft Master Plan submission. Generally speaking agreement has been reached with the Divisional Road Engineer of the Ministry of Transport, the Essex County Council and Billericay Urban District Council.

     The most difficult problem is in dealing with that portion of the London-Southend Road A.13 which passes through the Designated Area; and, although it has not been possible to obtain the agreement of all parties, the route which on balance is favoured by the Corporation is that indicated on the Master Plan.

Services
     Agreement has been reached with the various authorities that underground services will, in general, be located in accordance with the recommendations of the report of the Joint Committee set up by the Institution of Civil Engineers and the Institution of Municipal Engineers.
     Lay-outs of development sites are circulated to the authorities as soon as they are firm, to ensure that routes of mains are planned in advance and pipes or ducts installed where necessary at road crossings.

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