Basildon, new town, Basildon district, administrative and historic county of Essex, southeastern England.
Basildon new town was established in 1949. It was one of eight established 20 to 30 miles (32 to 48 km) from central London to help alleviate the city’s acute post-World War II housing shortage. More than 230 factories have been built and nearly 400 shops, with more than 200 in the town centre. Pop. (2001) 99,876; (2011) 107,123.