What kind of home is Birches, Westwood Hill, CO4 5BN?

Birches, Westwood Hill, CO4 5BN is a detached house.

What did Birches, Westwood Hill, CO4 5BN sell for?

Birches, Westwood Hill, CO4 5BN last sold for £685,000 in January 2019, around 8 years ago. Before that, it sold for £364,995 in October 2001, so prices have been rising over 17 years on record. Source: HM Land Registry.

What is the price history for Birches, Westwood Hill, CO4 5BN?

Across 2 sales between October 2001 and January 2019, Birches, Westwood Hill, CO4 5BN rose from £364,995 to £685,000, a change of £320,005. That works out to roughly +3.7% per year compounded over 17 years. Source: HM Land Registry.

What energy rating does Birches, Westwood Hill, CO4 5BN have?

The current EPC rating for Birches, Westwood Hill, CO4 5BN is D with a score of 63 out of 100, lodged in August 2018. The assessor estimates the property could reach a C. Source: EPC Register.

How big is Birches, Westwood Hill, CO4 5BN?

Birches, Westwood Hill, CO4 5BN has a recorded floor area of 203 m² (2,185 sq ft). Source: EPC Register.

What heating system does Birches, Westwood Hill, CO4 5BN use?

The latest EPC at Birches, Westwood Hill, CO4 5BN records mains gas as the main heating fuel. Source: EPC Register.

What is the council tax band for Birches, Westwood Hill, CO4 5BN?

Birches, Westwood Hill, CO4 5BN is in council tax band G. That sits towards the upper end of the band ladder, typically reflecting larger or higher-value homes.

Which area is Birches, Westwood Hill, CO4 5BN in?

Birches, Westwood Hill, CO4 5BN sits in Braiswick, Colchester, Colchester. It falls within the CO4 postcode district in Essex.

What is crime like near Birches, Westwood Hill, CO4 5BN?

Police records around Birches, Westwood Hill, CO4 5BN show an average of 430 reported crimes per month over the last 13 months. Violent crime makes up roughly 46% of reports, the most common category. The overall trend is broadly stable. Source: Police UK.

What schools are near Birches, Westwood Hill, CO4 5BN?

The closest primary school to Birches, Westwood Hill, CO4 5BN is Braiswick Primary School (427m), one of 12 primaries within walking distance. The closest secondary is St Helena School (1.8km), with 7 secondaries in the surrounding area.

How well connected is Birches, Westwood Hill, CO4 5BN?

The closest bus stop to Birches, Westwood Hill, CO4 5BN is Bakers Lane, 221m away. The nearest rail option is Colchester Rail Station, 1.7km away.

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Birches, Westwood Hill, Braiswick, Colchester, CO4 5BN

Property type

Detached

Habitable rooms

From EPC

Floor area

203 m²

2185 sq ft

Energy rating

Score 63

Council tax

Band G

Tenure

Owner Occupied

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Overview

About Birches

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

Birches is a detached house in Braiswick, Colchester, Colchester (CO4 5BN). It has a recorded floor area of 203 m² (around 2185 sq ft), construction records dating it to 1996-2002 and council tax band G. The latest certificate (August 2018) shows a D (score 63), on the cusp of jumping into the C band. The recommended improvements would push it to C (score 73).

It lags the bulk of the postcode on energy efficiency (less efficient than 80% of similar EPCs). Across 2001–2019, sale prices on this property compounded at 3.7% per year. Today's modelled estimate of £798,000 is 16.5% above the 2019 sale price. On a £-per-square-foot basis, the last sale (£313/sq ft) was about 70.6% above the typical sold price in the postcode. Last sale on file: £685,000 in January 2019.

Before you decide

Everything you need to know about Birches

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

Signs of HMO activity in the areaLarger development activity nearby

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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.

Birches's carbon output runs well above what efficient homes in the postcode produce.

Current Certificate

Aug 2018

EPC Rating

D63

Main Heating

Gas

Main Fuel

Gas

Hot Water

Good

Windows

Average

CO2 Emissions

8.2 t/year

Occupancy

Owner Occupied

Certificate validity

Valid until 9 August 2028

1 year remaining

Get a survey for this property

Level 3 Building Survey

Late 20th centuryDetached HouseEPC DExtended multiple times (2+ extensions)

Because the property has been extended more than once, we believe a Level 3 building survey should be considered.

From £1,220 · Includes VAT

Planning

Planning history

Applications and permits filed against Birches, Westwood Hill, Braiswick, Colchester, CO4 5BN, sourced from the PlanIt planning register.

Birches has no planning applications on record.

But the area is active

13 notable applications nearby — larger schemes and conversions that could reshape the street. The report maps them all.

Price

Sales history & valuation

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

Birches valuation sits well clear of the typical sold price in this postcode.

Current estimate

£798,000

Modelled from EPC, postcode comparables and a sale-price growth of 3.7% per year over 17 years.

See how we calculated this

Last sold (2019)

£685,000

Growth on file: 3.7% per year over 17 years.

Sales timeline

30 January 2019Most recent
£685,000
+87.7%over 17 years
25 October 2001
£364,995

Median price across the last 5 sales in CO4 5BN: £625,000 (2024–2015).

Nearby sales in CO4 5BN

On the street

Versus other Westwood Hill homes

Four headline reads against 5 similar houses on this street, drawn from the latest EPC and Land Registry data.

Price per m² for Birches runs comfortably ahead of the street norm.

Price per m²

£3,374

Street avg £2,970

Strongly above

Floor Area

203 m²

Street avg 237 m²

On par

Habitable Rooms

7 rooms

Street avg 7 rooms

On par

CO₂ Emissions

8.2 t/year

Street avg 6.5 t/year

Strongly below

Before you decide

Everything you need to know about Birches

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

Signs of HMO activity in the areaLarger development activity nearby

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.

£669k

1 Braiswick Place

CO4 5YF

4 bed3 bath

£556k

1 Bradford Drive

CO4 5FT

1 bed1 bath

£508k

1 Bardsley Close

CO4 5GS

£501k

1 Achnacone Drive

CO4 5AZ

£450k

1 Braiswick

CO4 5AU

4 bed

£429k

1 Bluegates Place

CO4 5XY

3 bed

£425k

1 Aldertons Cottages, Water Lane, Langham

CO4 5QD

£421k

1 Boxted Road, Mile End

CO4 5HE

3 bed2 bath

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

Crime

430/mo

Steady year-on-year across the wider district.

Nearest stop

0.2 km

Bakers Lane — bus stop.

Closest school

0.4 km

Braiswick Primary School. 19 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 CO4 5BN from Defra's strategic mapping. The pin marks this postcode's centroid.

Daytime· 07:00 – 23:00

57.0dB

Moderate

Night-time road noise heatmap for CO4 5BN

Night-time· 23:00 – 07:00

50.5dB

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 Birches, Westwood Hill, Braiswick, Colchester, CO4 5BN. Each answer is also embedded as structured data for search engines.