Laindon Link, road No.5 on Basildon Development Corporation's Master Plan for Basildon, is completed. In the early 1970s following the completion of Hatterill the road was closed off close to the footpath to Albert Drive and later re-opened for buses only in 1978.

Shops at the main neighbourhood centre at Whitmore Way in Fryerns begin opening. The 18 units, even numbered 402 - 436, was the third large scale shopping development undertaken by the development corporation. Stewards radio & tv at 402, Garon's bakers at 408 and Jeffrey's Hair Fashions next door at 410 were three of the first traders to move in.

Shops at the main neighbourhood centre at Clay Hill Road, Kingswood begin opening. The 8 main units, odd numbered 243 - 257, were under construction from late 1956. An additional detached shop was also constructed to the rear of the main parade. The centre when completed included a public house and first floor community centre. Hays grocery store, which had previously traded in Laindon and in a temporary converted garage in Witchards, was one of the first to open. In 1963 the units were renumbered to even and in reverse to 140 - 154 when Clay Hill Road was extended to London Road, Vange.

Anthony B. Davies, A.R.I.B.A., A.A. Dipl., succeeds Noel Tweddell as Chief Architect Planner to Basildon Development Corporation. Noel Tweddell, who resigned, had held the post since the inception of the Corporation in 1949 and was responsible for the preparation of the Corporation's first 'Master Plan', which received Government approval in 1951. His successor Anthony B. Davies had previously held the Deputy Chief Architect Planner post with the same corporation.

The Duke of Gloucester on his second visit to Basildon visits Timberlog and Berry Boys Clubs.

Christadelphian Hall at Basildon Drive, Laindon opened. The hall, which was certified as a place of worship, was later registered for the solemnisation of marriages from 28/03/1963. In an Order dated 09/01/1969 a small area of the front curtilage (0.018 of an acre) was later compulsory purchased by the development corporation in order that Basildon Drive could be realigned to a new junction with St. Nicholas Lane.

The Bryn County Infants' and Junior School opened. The school was built in Church Road next to the existing Manor infants' and junior to serve the new Fryerns housing estates either built or under construction at that time. The school took its name from a former poultry farm that had existed in Church Road prior to Basildon's designation as a New Town. Some pupils were later transferred to nearby Springfield School when that school opened in 1962.

February

Essex County Council open a temporary clinic and district nurse/midwife facility at 119-123 Honeypot Lane, Fryerns. The new health facilities, occupying all three houses in a recently completed residential terrace located close to the town centre, was provided by Basildon Development Corporation. The properties would serve the new town until March 1964 when a purpose built replacement opened at Great Oaks, Basildon.

14th February

Essex County Constabulary open a small temporary section police station at a bungalow in Church Road, Basildon near the railway bridge. Six constables and a sergeant operated there until 1961 when larger temporary accommodation in the town centre at Great Oaks, adjacent to the site of the planned permanent structure, became available.

20th February

The New Towns Act, 1959 given Royal Assent. The new Act absolves the Comptroller and Auditor General of presenting the corporations' annual accounts to Parliament. It is now obligatory for the corporations to include their accounts in their annual reports compiled each year on 31st March.

31st July

Basildon Urban District Council holds its monthly councilllors' meeting for the first time in Basildon. Councillors, who normally attended meetings at the council's chamber at 94 High Street, Billericay (leased from Essex County Council), met in the main hall at Timberlog County Secondary School in Timberlog Lane, Barstable. From April 1st 1960 the arrangement became semi-permanent with some meetings during 1960 being held in the main committee room (Room 221) at Keay House, Town Square, Basildon. On 11/10/1962 Wickford Junior School at Market Road provided another venue.

4th August

The first Basildon Carnival event held. Organised by local businessman Jack Shepard, the event, which was held on a Monday at Gloucester Park, attracted an estimated 10,000 people. Joan Birtle was the carnival queen.

16th August

The first shop to open in Basildon town centre is Henbest at 65-67 Market Square. Henbest's were already well known locally through their mens outfitters and drapery shops in High Road, Laindon. Another early town centre trader from 1958 was Charsleys, who in September opened the towns' first shoe shop, and had also originally begun their business in the Laindon High Road. They would later become one of the first shops to open in phase one of the Eastgate Shopping Centre after its completion in 1980.

1st September

Moat House School in Church Road, Fryerns, Basildon opened. The first Headmaster appointed is Mr. Idris A. Foulkes who moved to Basildon from his previous Headmasters post at Gloucester. The new school, with places for 160 children, is the first of its kind in Basildon to cater for children with special needs; drawing its numbers from the south east Essex Divisional area, and children mainly arrive by coach. By 1963 there were 132 children on the school's roll.

1st September

Woodlands County Secondary School for Boys' and Girls' in Kingswood, Basildon opened. The two schools were built on a large 27 acre (10.9 hectares) site that had previously been arable farmland, possibly once belonging to the former Woodlands Farm that stood nearby in Bells Hill Road and from which the school took its name. Located at Takely End (boys) and Gobions (girls), they operated separately until a gradual merge took place in the 1970s. The first Headmaster of the Boys' school was Mr. Bernard Benjamin. In 2011 Essex County Council granted planning permission for a new school to be built along side this one over part of the playing field and the school, which had been considered outdated by modern standards, was then later demolished and the site landscaped. The new school, now addressed as being in Woodlands Approach, opened in February 2014.

5th September

Basildon is hit by an exceptional storm which caused extensive flooding over a wide area. Nearly 3 inches of rain fell in little more than an hour.

6th September

The new 50 stall Basildon market opens. Operated by the Development Corporation, the market layout is in two sections combining a mix of fixed stalls and mobile shops. 44 of the 50 stalls are fixed and clad in coloured canvases. The remaining six are mobile and include ironmongers T.E. Collins of Laindon. Opening days are Tuesday, Friday and Saturday. From 1st April 1965 Basildon Council took over administration with little change until 1983 when a second hand Monday 'Flea Market' opened in January, followed in April with the addition of Thursday for the main traders. Also on this day, 06/09/1958, saw the opening of the public conveniences building situated opposite the market. Basildon Town Centre Management now control the market.

4th October

Kingswood Baptist Church in Codenham Green, Kingswood opened. The new baptist church and youth hall was built at a cost of just over £18,000 which included a Manse and site fees. The opening was performed by Mrs. E.B. Walling in the presence of Rev. F.C. Rusbridge, the churchs' first Minister. Rev. J.H.G. Adams, the Area Superintendent, conducted the service of dedication. On 30th November the church held the first baptisms in a service involving total immersion in water for those being baptised. Prior to opening, services and Sunday School activities were held in Kingswood School followed by the church's own Manse in early 1958. The foundation stone laying ceremony was held earlier in the year on 10th May.

7th October

Carson Brothers (Productions) Ltd. officially open their new £80,000 factory at Honywood Road on the No.1 Industrial Estate at Nevendon. The company, which makes wooden office furniture, was founded in 1949 in Shoreditch, London by brothers Michael and Alex Carson and has around 80 members of staff. London born celebrity actress Stephanie Voss (b. 17/04/1936) performed the official opening. The factory premises, known as Desk House, was designed by the architects E.R. Collister & Associates of Victoria Street, London SW1. It would later prove too small for the company who relocated in 1966 to a much larger site at the eastern end of Cranes Farm Road at its junction with East Mayne. The large roundabout adjacent to the factory subsequently became known colloquially as Carson's roundabout.

November

An underground monitoring post is constructed at Vange. The underground bunker, constructed of concrete on high ground at Vange, was one of over 1500 built nationwide for use by the Royal Observer Corps as a defence initiative against a nuclear threat during the 'cold war' period. It remained operational until October 1968 when the threat of conventional air attack was considered minimal. The shelter, although still extant and now part of Basildon golf course, has been vandalised and is now fenced off and the ventilation shafts sealed with concrete caps.

4th November

Changes to local elections are introduced which include an increase and renaming of voting Wards from 6 to 9. The number of councillors elected to serve on Basildon Council is also increased from 26 to 28. (County of Essex (Basildon Urban District Wards and Councillors) Order, 1959). The first elections took place on 9th May, 1959.

8th November

Stewards, a developing local shop chain, hold their second annual firework display in Basildon Town Centre. Admission was free. The event was later taken over by Basildon Round Table who continue to run it to the present.

17th December

St. Chad's Church in Timberlog Lane (now 782 Clay Hill Road) dedicated. The C of E church, with seating for 225, is named after St. Chad, d.02/03/672, the first bishop of Mercia and Lindsey at Lichfield. His brother Cedd is said to have had associations with Essex. Lady Whitmore, wife of Sir Francis Whitmore, had previously laid the foundation stone on December 15th, 1957 in the presence of Lord Bishop of Chelmsford, Dr. Sherard Falkner Allison, who also later consecrated the church on November 17th, 1959. The architects were Humphrys and Hurst of Dorset Street, London. Next to the church is a new Vange rectory, replacing the 19th century one at London Road.