What type of property is Orchard Cottage, Birch Park, CO2 0LS?

Orchard Cottage, Birch Park, CO2 0LS is a detached house.

How energy efficient is Orchard Cottage, Birch Park, CO2 0LS?

The current EPC rating for Orchard Cottage, Birch Park, CO2 0LS is E with a score of 54 out of 100, lodged in June 2026. The assessor estimates the property could reach a C. Source: EPC Register.

What is the floor area of Orchard Cottage, Birch Park, CO2 0LS?

Orchard Cottage, Birch Park, CO2 0LS has a recorded floor area of 97 m² (1,044 sq ft). That makes it about 29% larger than the median EPC-recorded property in CO2 0LS. Source: EPC Register.

How is Orchard Cottage, Birch Park, CO2 0LS heated?

The latest EPC at Orchard Cottage, Birch Park, CO2 0LS records oil as the main heating fuel. Source: EPC Register.

Has Orchard Cottage, Birch Park, CO2 0LS had any planning applications?

Orchard Cottage, Birch Park, CO2 0LS has council approval for single-storey rear extension granted in February 2001 under ref. F/COL/01/0004. Source: PlanIt planning register.

What council tax band is Orchard Cottage, Birch Park, CO2 0LS?

Orchard Cottage, Birch Park, CO2 0LS is in council tax band E.

Where is Orchard Cottage, Birch Park, CO2 0LS located?

Orchard Cottage, Birch Park, CO2 0LS sits in Birch, Colchester, Colchester. It falls within the CO2 postcode district.

Is Orchard Cottage, Birch Park, CO2 0LS in a safe area?

Police records around Orchard Cottage, Birch Park, CO2 0LS show an average of 311 reported crimes per month over the last 14 months. Violent crime makes up roughly 45% of reports, the most common category. The overall trend is broadly stable. Source: Police UK.

Which schools serve Orchard Cottage, Birch Park, CO2 0LS?

The closest primary school to Orchard Cottage, Birch Park, CO2 0LS is Birch Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School (1.2km), one of 2 primaries within walking distance.

What is the nearest station to Orchard Cottage, Birch Park, CO2 0LS?

The closest bus stop to Orchard Cottage, Birch Park, CO2 0LS is Birch Road, 1.0km away. In total there are 30 bus stops within the surrounding area.

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Orchard Cottage, Birch Park, Birch, Colchester, CO2 0LS

1 planning record

Property type

Detached

Habitable rooms

From EPC

Floor area

97 m²

1044 sq ft

Energy rating

Score 54

Council tax

Band E

Tenure

Private Rental

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Overview

About Orchard Cottage

A plain-English summary derived from public records, EPC certificates, sold prices and local data.

Orchard Cottage is a detached house in Birch, Colchester, Colchester (CO2 0LS). It has a recorded floor area of 97 m² (around 1044 sq ft), construction records dating it to before 1900 and council tax band E. The latest certificate (June 2026) shows an E (score 54), well below the UK norm with real room to improve. The rating has held steady at E across 2 certificates since November 2014. Between certificates, roof efficiency went from Good to Very Good, window efficiency went from Very Poor to Average and lighting went from Very Poor to Good; while hot-water efficiency dropped from Good to Average and main heating dropped from Good to Average. The recommended improvements would lift it to C (score 75), a 2-band jump. Main heating runs on oil. This certificate was lodged in the last six months, so the rating reflects current condition.

One planning record on file: an extension approved in 2001. Past consents include an extension, meaningful when judging how the property has evolved. At 97 m² it's 18.3% larger than the typical home in the postcode (82 m² median across 8 EPCs).

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Energy

Energy performance

Every EPC certificate filed against this property — current rating, recorded improvements, and where there's headroom to reach a higher band.

Recommended upgrades on file would lift this property by multiple EPC bands.

Current Certificate(1 of 2)

Jun 2026

EPC Rating

E54

Main Heating

Gas

Main Fuel

Oil

Hot Water

Average

Windows

Average

CO2 Emissions

5.5 t/year

Occupancy

Rented

Certificate validity

Valid until 30 June 2036

9 years remaining

Property Improvements

Changes detected from historical EPC data

Jun 2026from Nov 2014

Hot Water

GoodAverage

Hot water efficiency decreased

Windows

Partial DoubleFull Double

Windows upgraded, improving insulation

Roof Insulation

InsulatedWell Insulated

Loft insulation upgraded to recommended levels

Low Energy Lighting

8%100%

More low energy lighting installed

Get a survey for this property

Level 3 Building Survey

Victorian-eraDetached BungalowEPC EPre-1919 buildNo mains gasSolid (non-cavity) walls

Because the property was built before 1919, has no mains gas supply, and has solid (non-cavity) walls, we believe a Level 3 building survey should be considered.

From £1,020 · Includes VAT

Planning

Planning history

Applications and permits filed against Orchard Cottage, Birch Park, Birch, Colchester, CO2 0LS, sourced from the PlanIt planning register.

Orchard Cottage has an approved single-storey rear extension on the planning record.

1 application on record at Orchard Cottage, Birch Park, Birch, Colchester, CO2 0LS

1decisions1extensions2documents1nearby

Feb 2001
ExtensionFull
Outcome in report
Extension: Single storey · Rear of property
Single storey rear extension.
Documents
2 docs on file
Reference
F/COL/01/0004
Full record in report

Unlock Orchard Cottage, Birch Park, Birch, Colchester, CO2 0LS's full planning history

You're seeing the shape of it. The report has the substance.

Every decision — granted, refused or withdrawn (1 on record)
All 1 application on this property in full, plus 1 notable nearby
The 2 documents, officer reports & conditions
What the pattern means for extending or converting here

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Price

Sales history & valuation

Recorded transactions, our model's current estimate, and a quick read on what neighbouring properties have sold for.

Orchard Cottage has no Land Registry sales on file, suggesting it has stayed in the same hands since registration began.

Current estimate

£452,000

Modelled from EPC, postcode comparables.

See how we calculated this

No sales recorded with HM Land Registry

That can mean the property has never traded since the registry began publishing in 1995, was a new build that hasn't been registered yet, or is held in the same hands long-term.

On the street

Versus other Birch Park homes

Four headline reads against 8 similar houses on this street, drawn from the latest EPC and Land Registry data.

Orchard Cottage outperforms the street on epc rating by a wide margin.

EPC Rating

54 (E)

Street avg 33 (F)

Strongly above

Floor Area

97 m²

Street avg 153 m²

Above

CO₂ Emissions

5.5 t/year

Street avg 9.3 t/year

Below

Habitable Rooms

5 rooms

Street avg 6 rooms

Above

Before you decide

Everything you need to know about Orchard Cottage

The true value, the hidden risks and the full sale history, in one report.

Pick your report · from £14.99

One time fee only - money back guarantee

The data behind every report

Comparables

Similar properties nearby

A handful of close matches in the same postcode area, ranked by likeness on bedrooms, type and floor area.

£462k

1 Church Cottages, School Hill, Birch

CO2 0LZ

£441k

1 Ash Grove

CO2 0AH

3 bed

£486k

1 Church Road, Layer De La Haye

CO2 0EN

£405k

1 Creffield Cottages, Birch Street, Birch

CO2 0NL

£404k

1 Greate House Farm Road, Layer De La Haye

CO2 0LP

4 bed1 bath

£400k

1 Chestnut Avenue

CO2 0AL

3 bed

£527k

1 Chancery Grove, Mersea Road, Blackheath

CO2 0BQ

3 bed3 bath

£534k

1 Birch Way, Birch

CO2 0NQ

Area

The neighbourhood at a glance

A condensed read of the local area. Each tile links through to the full breakdown on the Colchester district page.

Full Colchester report

Daytime road noise here sits well below conversation level — a quiet pocket of the postcode.

Crime

311/mo

Steady year-on-year across the wider district.

Nearest stop

1.0 km

Birch Road — bus stop.

Closest school

1.2 km

Birch Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School. 2 schools nearby.

Go deeper on the local area

A Local Area report breaks down crime, transport links, schools and air quality in depth.

Noise

Road noise across the postcode

Modelled day and night-time noise levels around CO2 0LS from Defra's strategic mapping. The pin marks this postcode's centroid.

Daytime· 07:00 – 23:00

42.0dB

Low

Night-time road noise heatmap for CO2 0LS

Night-time· 23:00 – 07:00

35.4dB

Low

55 dB

60 dB

65 dB

70 dB

75 dB

80 dB

Defra Road Noise Strategic Mapping, Round 4

FAQ

Common questions

The questions buyers, sellers and homeowners most often ask about Orchard Cottage, Birch Park, Birch, Colchester, CO2 0LS. Each answer is also embedded as structured data for search engines.