Basildon is a new town originally conceived to absorb the surplus population of post war London; Basildon was designated a new town in 1949 and construction began in 1951. The town centre had suffered from rapid decline over the last decade and CZWG was lead designers to the town centre regeneration team, commissioned by the council and their development partners – (BWB). The town centre study area covers a total of 72 hectares, an area that includes both the town centre core and its surrounding transition zone. Following appraisal of evidence, the drivers for change were identified as; a greater diversity of use; accessibility, critical mass – density and rationalized development opportunities; the whole grounded in commercial and economic realism.