The 15 shortlisted towns will receive £60,000 each to develop their full bids, which will be assessed by a judging panel.
The other shortlisted towns are:
Medium towns
Small towns
Ilfracombe, Devon
Isle of Bute, Scotland
Lerwick, Scotland
Sandown, Isle of Wight
Strabane, Northern Ireland
Stockton Town Centre Ward, County Durham
According to data from 2016, the council district of Basildon serves roughly 176,000 people, with engineering, retail, distribution and financial services being the most prominent industries.
It has a high proportion of social tenants, with a fewer-than-average number of residents owning their own homes.
The other Essex towns which entered bids – but were ultimately unsuccessful – were Harlow, Maldon, Leigh-on-Sea, Rochford, Saffron Walden and Witham.
Do you have a story suggestion for Essex? Contact us below.