The regeneration of Basildon Town Centre presents an exciting opportunity to reshape its public realm and open spaces into vibrant, inclusive, and sustainable environments that enhance the town’s identity and support community life.
Inclusivity is at the heart of the Masterplan, ensuring spaces are not only safe and accessible but also welcoming and adaptable to a variety of activities. Community engagement, including input from women/girls and young people, will shape the design, ensuring diverse voices are heard. The Town Centre will also address the lack of dedicated play spaces by introducing more child- and familyfriendly amenities.
As footfall in the Town Centre grows, the demand for accessible green space increases. The regeneration will strengthen connections to Gloucester Park, enhancing its role as a complementary space for leisure and recreation, while also improving its vibrancy.
Key squares and arrival points will be better connected with clear, intuitive, and accessible routes. These shared spaces will encourage social interaction, support biodiversity, and promote movement throughout the town, while remaining safe and enjoyable at all times.
Public art and creative interventions will play a key role in wayfinding and reinforcing Basildon’s evolving identity. Existing artworks should be preserved, and new works, including murals, commissioned to reflect the town’s culture and aspirations. Some artworks will be temporary, adding vibrancy during construction, while others will be permanent symbols of Basildon’s heritage.
Finally, the public realm will be designed to accommodate increased foot traffic, supporting a diverse mix of leisure activities, after-hours events, and sustainable residential development.
Bridget Joyce Square, London (Robert Bray Associates) integrates play with SuDS and biodiversity in an urban environment. Photo: Robert Bray Associate
Sovereign Square Park, Leeds (re-form Landscape) is an urban renewal project featuring a garden for green relief. Seating, planting, and a water feature create a pleasant spot to relax, socialise, or people-watch. Photo: Simon Vine
Organically shaped benches at Varkensmarkt, Amersfoort (Grijsen) enhance public seating, creating vibrant, inclusive, and comfortable spaces for all ages and abilities. Photo: Atelier Loos van Vliet
Neue Meile, Böblingen, Germany (bauchplan) showcases water features and high-quality public realm in a pedestrian precinct. Photo: C. Franke
City Centre Waalwijk, The Netherlands (Burobol) utilises lighting across seating areas, buildings, and edges to establish balanced light levels, creating a welcoming public square that invites activity well into the evening. Photo: LEEF Fotografie
David H. Koch Plaza at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (OLIN) features 100 new trees, providing shade to lower paving temperatures and create a more comfortable environment. Photo: OLIN
30 5.0 Masterplan Framework
Finsbury Avenue Square, Broadgate (Skidmore, Owings & Merrill), offers space for performance and play. During the 2018 London Design Festival, graphic design studio Kellenberger-White created a human-scale typography installation that invited visitors to engage and interact.
Basildon features numerous public art pieces, with painted murals enhancing street identity and aiding wayfinding.
The Moorings, Thamesmead (Light Follows Behaviour) sees the transformation of a pedestrian underpass, co-designed in collaboration with local communities. Photo: Angus Mill
Improvements to Altrincham Market and the surrounding public realm have acted as a catalyst, attracting a range of businesses that boost the economy and reduce shop vacancy rates.
Granary Square, Kings Cross (Townsend) provides for all manner of activities and users. The focal point is its fountains, but the space also hosts performances, markets, and public events even when they're off. Photo: Granary Square
Policy: Public Realm and Open Space
The existing public realm and open spaces within the Town Centre will be enhanced, and new spaces designed to strengthen connectivity, reflect local identity, and foster an inclusive, welcoming environment for all users. New developments impacting the public realm must adhere to the following criteria, where applicable and relevant to their location:
a. Public routes and spaces shall be designed to encourage social interaction and activity and are open to all. Design should encourage movement through the Town Centre as an enjoyable experience at all times of day and evening;
b. Green infrastructure will be integrated across the Town Centre to enhance biodiversity, manage surface water, improve air quality, and strengthen connection to nature. A continuous green network is encouraged to benefit both the ecosystem and the community;
c. Proposals shall demonstrate innovative approaches to Sustainable Urban Drainage (SuDS) that enhance the public realm, creating opportunities for connections to nature, play, and education. SuDS design will be in accordance with Policy CC6;
d. Use public art to animate the public realm and foster a sense of identity;
e. Prioritise pedestrians through good highway design, the introduction of new crossings, and active ground-floor frontages that encourage street life. Spaces must be welcoming, with passive surveillance, clear sightlines, and appropriate lighting, ensuring pleasant environments day and night;
f. Public spaces shall be fully accessible for people with mobility impairments. Developers shall engage with community groups to codesign inclusive spaces that meet the needs of all users;
g. Create adaptable public spaces that support wide-ranging uses including temporary installations, outdoor performances, seasonal markets, and social interaction;
h. Develop a comprehensive, safe cycle network to promote cycling as a sustainable mode of transport. Integrated cycling facilities, including secure cycle racks and hubs, to support an active lifestyle whilst ensuring safety and convenience for cyclists of all ages;
i. Cycle parking shall cater for a range of cycles, including trikes and cargo cycles in accordance with good practice;
j. Promote mixed-use residential developments that integrate housing with leisure, retail, cultural and other commercial activities. Design will prioritise green infrastructure, accessible public spaces, and safe, welcoming streets, fostering a strong sense of community;
k. Reduce street clutter to enhance accessibility and ensure clear movement for all users. Thoughtful coordination of street furniture, lighting, and landscaping will create an attractive, flexible and functional public realm that supports the town’s visual appeal and pedestrian flow;
l. New development will be delivered in a phased, coordinated manner to maintain community engagement, minimise disruption, and preserve the town’s vibrancy throughout construction. Pop-up uses, lighting, and art on site hoardings will aim to keep the town welcoming and visually cohesive during the regeneration process;
m. Existing underpasses will be upgraded to be accessible in all weather conditions. Provide visibility with good lighting, tiled finishes, and selective planting that will not block sightlines. Improve wayfinding with clear signage and art. Design gradients to and from the underpasses with inclusivity in mind, ensuring accessibility. Include benches for resting where needed; and
n. Co-design is encouraged to embed intergenerational, cultural and gender inclusivity in the public realm and open spaces.
