Properties on the Cruden's estate at Rectory Road, Pitsea completed. The new flat roofed Development Corporation housing estate was built along the west side of Rectory Road between Wickford Avenue and Winifred Road. It comprises Bryce Way, Curzon Walk, Harley Walk, Balfour Way and Addison Pavement and is a mix of houses and maisonettes. It was built by Crudens Ltd. using the Skarne industrialised building method developed in Sweden. In the 1990s the build quality was causing concern leading to the entire estate undergoing a refurbishment programme that included pitched roofs to all properties and changes to the road layout between the properties. Following this it was renamed the Castles estate with new street naming taken from British castles.

Northlands Infant School in Winifred Road, Pitsea, opened. Mrs. Gladys Stewart is appointed the first Headmistress, a post she remained in through to her retirement in August 1979. From September 2015 the infants' were amalgamated with the junior school to become Northlands Primary School and Nursery.

Tenants move into newly built properties on the Vange 3C estate. The estate, comprising rented accommodation of 2, 3 and 4 bedroomed houses and flats, was constructed on behalf of Basildon Development Corporation. New street names introduced include Oldwyck, Polsteads and Swanstead. Unfortunately the estate got off to a bad start as the following year tenants began complaining of damp, which would require expensive remedial work.

1st January

Mr. William Morton Balch, F.R.I.C.S., succeeds Sir John MacPherson as Chairman of Basildon Development Corporation. Sir John retired on 31/12/1967.

9th April

A new 33⅓ metre championship size swimming pool at Gloucester Park in Broadmayne opens. Built to a depth of 12½ft and featuring 3 diving boards, the facility also included a second teaching pool, spectator gallery and first floor cafe. Public toilets serving the park were also incorporated into the design. The official opening was held in June by which time over 100,000 had used the new facility. In the 1990s the cafe was moved downstairs close to the main entrance and a gym called The Pulse Fitness Centre eventually opened on the first floor. The pool closed on Sunday 24th April, 2011 when Basildon Sporting Village, which included a new 50metre swimming pool, was completed and opened the following weekend 30th April, 2011.

14th May

Basildon Urban District Council apply to the Magistrates Court in Billericay for permission to close off Sparrows Herne on the Kingswood estate at its western junction with Nether Mayne. Following permission, access to Nether Mayne is now via a new realigned right curve into Lee Woottens Lane to a new roundabout, under construction during 1967, for the eventual opening of Basildon Hospital and the College of Further Education. The public footpath into Nether Mayne was retained.
Source: The London Gazette, publication date: 16/04/1968, issue number: 44566, page: 4417, Heading: Highways Act 1959, Section 108 and 12th Schedule Stopping up of Highways.

19th May

The Basildon Hebrew Congregation Synagogue at Park Lodge in High Road, Langdon Hills opened. The Congregation had previously held services in various local halls over a 12 year period. In attendance was local Labour MP. Eric Moonman and the Chairman of Basildon Council Coun. Arthur Baron Burn. The house, which had been provided by Basildon Development Corporation, was registered as a place of worship until 02/07/1976 when the congregation transferred services to a house called "Whiteways" in Basildon Road, Laindon until approx. 1994 when they merged with Southend and Westcliff Hebrew Congregation. Rabbi Pinchos Shebson of Southend & Westcliff Hebrew Congregation carried out the official consecration to a House of Worship and to the later property "Whiteways".

June

St. Paul's Methodist Church in Ballards Walk, Lee Chapel North officially opened and dedicated. The Methodist movement in Lee Chapel North began in 1962 when a small congregation formed during the early years of the estate's construction under the title St. Paul's House. A youth club, Sunday School and mid-week fellowship were also established and Sunday services were held in estate constructor's Gilbert Ash's canteen. A Methodist Meeting House was also established at 17 Delimands. The foundation stone, seen to the left of the front entrance, was laid on 7th October, 1967 by the Chairman of the London North East District of the Methodist Church, Rev. Frank Christopher Eden and Rev. John Gerhard Tiarks, Bishop of Chelmsford. From 26th June, 1968 the church was officially registered for solemnizing marriages.

19th June

Gloucester Park Swimming Pool officially opened. Chairman of Basildon Council, Cllr. Terry Chapman, carried out the opening duties. The championship size pool was designed by Council architect Kenneth Cotton.

22nd June

Murryfield sports pavilion in Gloucester Park officially opened. The two-storey pavilion, which was built at a cost of around £30,000, was a joint venture between Basildon Council and the Murryfield Real Estate Company. Its location, bordering the main cricket pitch at the northern end of Gloucester Park, included its own vehicular access turning off Cranes Farm Road. A feature of the buildings design is a licensed bar and the venue often hosted live entertainment evenings. Councillor Geoffrey Allard (Con), Chairman of the Council's Recreation Committee, performed the opening ceremony. It fell out of use in the early 2000s and the outside stairway was later removed. In the wake of the opening of the adjacent Sporting Village it was demolished in 2011 and replaced with a new single storey pavilion, also called Murryfield, when the bowls green was reaccommodated from its former home at the southern end of Gloucester Park.

10th July

Basildon Natural History Society established. The Society, formed by a group of voluntary enthusiasts dedicated to the study of the areas fauna, flora and green issues, hold regular meetings and have undertaken many projects where the aim is the conservation and preservation of woodland for future generations to enjoy. The initial idea for the Society came from founding member and secretary Peter Baldwin. Another founding member is Harry Peck whose surname was later given to an artificial pond created at the Marks Hill nature reserve in Langdon Hills. Mr. Vic Wiseman was the Society's first Chairman, which in 1983 became a registered charity.

31st August

Craylands County Secondary School closes. The school, first opened in 1935 in Timberlog Lane (now Craylands), merged with nearby Fryerns under the reorganisation of local education which saw the abolition of the towns' two grammar schools. From September 1968 the Craylands site was renamed Fryerns Lower School.

31st August

Timberlog County Secondary School closes. The school, first opened in 1957, merged with nearby Barstable under the reorganisation of local education which saw the abolition of the towns' two grammar schools. From September 1968 the Timberlog site was renamed Barstable Lower School and populated by first and second year seniors (now Years 7 & 8).

1st September

Millhouse County Infants School in Tavistock Road, Laindon opened. The new school was built to serve the growing population on the north side of Laindon and as a replacement for Laindon Park where pupil numbers were just 60 at the time of opening. Essex county council proposed reducing pupil numbers at Laindon Park with the eventual aim of closing the school and either selling the site or putting it to a different use. In the event Laindon Park would remain open and remains so today. The first appointed Head Teacher was Mrs. E.M. Cockshaw. The schools' playing field was laid out over a previously residential road of detached bungalows called Ashleaves Avenue. A greyhound track is known to have existed in the early 1900s which may also have operated on part of the schools overal layout. At the time of opening 64 pupils were on the schools roll, some of whom had transferred from Langdon Hills County Primary.

1st September

Millhouse County Junior School in Tavistock Road, Laindon opened. At the time of opening there were 49 first year (year 3) pupils, some of whom as with the Infant school, had transferred from Langdon Hills Primary School. The school did not have a Head Teacher although by 1969 an appointment had been made.

1st September

Local reorganisation of secondary education along comprehensive lines introduced. Two immediate changes implemented are the mergers of Barstable Grammar & Technical School and Timberlog County Secondary School to form Barstable Comprehensive, and Fryerns Grammar & Technical School and Craylands County Secondary School to become Fryerns Comprehensive School.

1st September

Northlands Junior School in Winifred Road, Pitsea, opened. Mr. Leslie Inman is appointed the first Headmaster. From September 2015 the junior school was amalgamated with the infants' school to become Northlands Primary School and Nursery.

5th September

Blessed Anne Line Roman Catholic Infant School opened. The first Headmistress was Miss Brenda Doherty who remained in charge until the early 1990s when she retired. Her successor was Gillian Durnian. Sometime in the 1970s the schools' name was shortened to Anne Line and changed again to St. Anne Line which it remains today. In the 2000s a detached classroom was added which from January 2007 became a nursery. A small addition to the infant block was also completed in 2008.

21st September

The Arts Centre in Towngate, Basildon opened by Chairman of the Arts Council of Great Britain, Lord Goodman. The days opening entertainment began with a production of Susan Glaspell's "Trifles", performed by the Basildon Players, followed by a performance by the Basildon Choral Society. Basildon Operatic Society also performed and the first film screened was Czechoslovakian director Zdenek Podskalsky's "Never strike a lady". Built as a temporary theatre at a cost of £100,000 with seating for approx 500, it became the Towngate Theatre and Arts Centre in January 1976 and lasted until the new permanent Towngate Theatre opened in April 1988. It was operated by the council and designed in house by a team of council employees including Ken S. Cotton, A.R.I.B.A. Vin Harrop was appointed as the first manager. Additional features included a fully licensed restaurant and an upstairs bar and a Towngate 2 facility with workshop and a small makeshift stage for live performances. Among the many famous names to appear there were Peter Sarstedt, Labi Siffre, Curved Air, David Bowie, Harry Corbett in the annual Sooty and Sweep Show, Brian Cant with the 'Play Away' team and Charles Hawtrey in the Christmas pantomine Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Along with regular film screenings, a Saturday morning picture show for minors was also established in the early 1970s with an admission price of 3p.

9th October

H.R.H. Katharine, Duchess of Kent visits St. Martin's Church in Basildon to officially dedicate the porch and modern sculpture of Christ by the artist Thomas Bayliss Huxley-Jones. It was his last completed work. The Duchess also visited the newly opened Arts Centre where she signed the visitors book.

29th November

Basildon Urban District Council receive permission from the Minster of Transport to close off Bells Hill Road (North) section from its junction with Nether Mayne. Following the closure only a footpath was retained and the majority of the remaining length of Bells Hill Road to its junction with Sparrows Herne was renamed Clay Hill Lane. The short length between the Basildon golf course entrance and Nether Mayne was closed off and left to nature.
Road Traffic Regulation Act, 1967, section 1 (1), (2) and (3). Order title: The Urban District of Basildon Bells Hill Road (North) / Nethermayne Junction (Prohibition of Driving) Order 1968.
Source: The London Gazette, publication date: 10/12/1968, issue number: 44733, page: 13244.

30th November

The Irish Club in Basildon Road, Laindon opened. The new club, created to serve the local Irish population, was formally opened by Councillor John Costello, the club's President, in surroundings previously known as Essex Country Club. Special guest at the opening was local constituency M.P., Eric Moonman. The building, which dates back to 1928 when it first opened as Laindon Park Country Club, was later taken over by Basildon Development Corporation who then rented it back to the club in the knowledge it would eventually be demolished.

9th December

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Michael Ramsey visits Basildon. Dr. Ramsey addressed a large congregation at St. Martin's Church in the town centre. To date this remains the first and only time that an Archbishop of Canterbury has visited Basildon.