Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church Hall in Wickhay, Lee Chapel North opened. This new multi-functional church hall was built to replace the smaller church sited close by at Roundacre, Long Lynderswood adjacent to Laindon Link, which had opened in 1963. The cost of the new hall, which included an on site car park, was put at around £50,000. The site, which was previously used as a recreational field with two permanent football goals, was made available by Basildon Development Corporation. A permanent church and presbytery were later built on the same site; opening in 1980.

Vange War Memorial relocated to the grass verge overlooking Clay Hill Road within the grounds of St. Chad's Church, Vange. The memorial, which dates from 1922, previously stood in Paynters Hill off London Road.

New Basildon Town Square shops, office and leisure complex called Block S reaches completion during the year. Built between Marks & Spencer and No. 19 Town Square, the new development is linked to the town via an escalator and stairway. Caters supermarket and Russell's Jeweller's were the first new shops to open in the block, which would later include Taylor's department store, The Highway public house, Sweeney's discotheque and the Jackpot Bingo Club. The office complex was named Northgate House.

The first homes on the new Woodlands Estate, Kingswood Road, Kingswood completed. The 240 home development, a mix of bungalows and split level houses with flat roofs, was built by Nationwide Homes Ltd. on an 18 acre site. The design architects were Peter Phippen, Peter Randall and David Parkes, working as a team. In addition to Kingswood Road the development comprises Gun Hill Place, Durrington Close, Wickham Place, Spains Hall Place and Colne Place, which with the exception of Kingswood Road are all cul-de-sacs.

January

Ashleigh Centre at Whitmore Way, Fryerns opened. The new £114,000 Basildon Council built learning facility supports mentally handicapped children of secondary school age. It was funded by Essex County Council and can offer support and guidance for up to 120 trainees. Some of the first trainees transferred from nearby Elmbrook School, which then became a primary age only school for mentally handicapped children. The centre is now called Ashleigh Wellbeing & Activity Centre helping adults with learning disabilities.

4th February

Department of Health and Social Security Unemployment Benefit Office and Employment Exchange at Great Oaks, Town Centre, Basildon opened. The new purpose built accommodation located adjacent to the A.B.C. cinema, included floors within the newly completed Great Oaks House for benefit claims. Prior to opening, the Employment Exchange was based at 45 Bowlers Croft, off Honywood Road on the Nevendon No.1 Industrial Estate. Deputy employment minister, Paul Bryan (later Sir), M.P., performed the official opening ceremony, standing in for Robert Carr, M.P., having already unveiled a plaque when he formally opened a new Government Training Centre at the Industrial Estate site. Both events required a police presence due to an organised demonstation instigated by the vice-chairman of the Labour led council, Cllr. Ken Tyson.

March

The Thalian Theatre Group formed. Basildon based amateur dramatics company with regular stage performances right up to the present. Their first production was Kevin Laffan's Zoo Zoo Widdershins Zoo, performed at the Arts Centre (later renamed Towngate Theatre), Basildon on Friday 15th & Saturday 16th September. Their name is derived from the Greek goddess Thalia - the Muse of comedy and pastoral poetry. Founding members include Michael Betteridge, who is the first elected chairman, and Derek Bill, who also directed their first production.

March

The former Nevendon School House in Nevendon Road is demolished. The school, which was built in 1886, had been a private residence since closing in 1927 when the current school opened (since closed in 1983). It had been run by the National Society and could accommodate around 30 children. It stood west of St. Peter's Church on the bend leading towards Burnt Mills Road next to the former Carreras sports pavilion. Some of its grounds now form the course of Cricketers Way; built in the 1990s, with the rest being left to nature.

1st May

Automated car parking barriers installed at public car parks in Basildon town centre as charges are introduced for the first time. Introductory charges as follows: 2 hours 4p, 4 hours 10p and over 4 hours 15p.

30th June

Laindon Shopping Centre enters private ownership. The centre, comprising 48 shops, an office block, public library, public house and two car parks was sold to London property company Wellfare Insurance Limited for an amount in excess of £1,300,000. Former owners Basildon Development Corporation opened the centre in late 1969 as a permanent replacement for the High Road shops forced to close by the Corporation's own plans to transform Laindon. Included in the 99 year lease is an agreement that all tenants will pay the Corporation 10% ground rent for the same period of time.

6th August

The first service at the Church of Jesus Christ and Latter Day Saints in Laindon Link, Laindon held. Building missionary David Sneddon from Wickford was heavily involved in its construction which began earlier in the year in January. Its cost at the time of opening was put at around £32,000. The church was registered for solemnising marriages on 2nd August, 1972.

September

Bluehouse Farm Community Centre in Laindon Link, Laindon officially opened. Built on a site close to the former Bluehouse Farm at a cost of £92,000, the new centre offered a licensed bar, stage facilities and adjoining hall for use in the council's Play Leadership Scheme and as a children's nursery. The centre was a joint venture between Basildon Council and Basildon Development Corporation. In February 2014 the nursery hall was destroyed by fire in an arson attack forcing the nursery group to relocate to Somercotes on the Five Links estate. Following the completion of a restored nursery building and associated garden the group moved back in 2020.

1st September

St. Anselms Roman Catholic secondary school in Ghyllgrove, Fryerns opens. For the first five years the school's intake was restricted to boys with the school becoming mixed from September 1977. Principal intake is from the two existing Roman Catholic junior schools in Basildon; St. Anne Line and St. Teresa's. Brother Mark was the first appointed Headteacher. From 1st September 1996 the school was renamed De La Salle after the Brothers upon whom which the school was founded.

October

Essex Centre Hotel in Pipps Hill Road South (now Waterfront Walk) officially opened. The hotel, the latest in Centre Hotels UK chain, boasts executive features, 120 bedrooms (148 by 2005) and fine views overlooking the newly created Aquatels recreational lake. The new hotel, which cost over £½ million, is part of a larger leisure scheme called Aquatels Recreation Centre which would also include a zoo, ski-slope, 9 hole golf course and driving range, Pipps Hill Country Club and the Treble Chance public house; named after businessman Reg Treble who conceived the project. Builders Costain were involved in its construction. It later became Crest Hotel, Forte Post House, and is now a Holiday Inn.

November

The first Basildon town centre multi-storey car park in Great Oaks is completed. Built on five levels with parking for 1,100 vehicles, the car park has lifts, a toilet block and a ground floor security office. A later addition on level 3 was a pedestrian bridge spanning Great Oaks which was removed in the 2000s.

November

Basildon Round Table hold their eighth annual Firework Fiesta and bonfire at Markhams Chase Recreation Ground, Leinster Road, Laindon. The fiesta had transferred here from Laindon Link when the field near Staneway was sold off to Globe Construction Co. for a new housing development. To supplement the display a large fire with Guy Fawkes on top was lit and refreshments were available on site.

5th November

Basildon town centre roads Great Oaks, Pagel Mead and Towngate are now open to one-way traffic only. The Urban District of Basildon (Town Centre, Basildon) (One-Way Traffic) Order, 1972. By the early 2000s only Great Oaks still exists and continues as a one-way only route.

December

The first occupants began moving into houses on the Lee Chapel North 7 development. This housing project, funded in part by the private sector, would eventually comprise 172 dwellings of either three or four bedrooms when finally completed in 1975. From this total 20 would transfer to council ownership. The estate, comprising Rise Park, Raphaels and the continuation of Wickhay, was partly built over formerly residential Elizabeth Drive, woodland and a football pitch once used by Lee Chapel North F.C. Its layout, which is mainly designed around a central 4 acre landscaped woodland, gave it its name of Parklands. It was built by Globe Construction Company Ltd of Felsted, Essex, who retained ownership of peripheral land and the central woodland known as Rise Park Open Space. House prices with freehold were offered at £9,750 for a three bedroomed mid terrace house to £10,850 for a four bedroom end terrace house. One of the properties was used as a temporary Show House and opened every weekend.

14th December

Vange Health Centre at Southview Road officially opened. The Chairman of Basildon Council, Cllr. John Costello performed the opening duties. It was designed by Billericay architect Ken Cotton, Dip. Arch., A.R.I.B.A.