18 Sep Winners of Basildon town centre masterplan competition announced
Creative school children have revealed how they imagine Basildon in the future as part of a town centre masterplan drawing competition.
This summer we asked borough residents how they imagine Basildon in the future as part of a consultation exercise.
Leader of Basildon Council Councillor Gavin Callaghan presented winners, Elsie Jayne Lindsay, 8, and Ashley Harris, 9, both from Greensted Junior School and Ellie-Mae Woodward, 10, from Eversley Primary School with a £25 Smiggle voucher.
Councillor Callaghan said: “It was wonderful to see so many young people showing such passion and creativity for this project. We are at the beginning of what will be a 10-15 year project. It’s vital that young people are part of this consultation and understanding what the council is seeking to do as so many of them will be impacted.
“From the cinema to the youth zone, we have put young people and families at the heart of this transformation so that finally there’s a town centre they can be proud of.”
“Congratulations to all the winners and thank you to all the children who took part and everyone who gave us their views in the consultation.”
The draft Basildon town centre masterplan reimagines Basildon town centre from what it is at the moment – a shopping centre – into a home for thousands of people, an attractive destination for people region-wide seeking leisure and entertainment and a creative and dynamic place to work and do business.
The six-week statutory public consultation was conducted online and made use of virtual technologies to reach members of the public, businesses and potential investors.
The masterplan includes establishing a night-time economy in the heart of the town, up to 4,000 new homes, retail, leisure and a major flexible convention centre and multi-use arena space. This will complement and support the new cinema and college and create a multi-use town centre.
To find out more about the regeneration plans for Basildon town centre visit www.basildon.gov.uk/masterplan
