Orchard Side is a three-bedroom detached house in Barley, Royston, Royston (SG8 8LH). It has a recorded floor area of 85 m² (around 913 sq ft), construction records dating it to before 1900 and council tax band E. The latest certificate (September 2010) shows an F (score 38), near the bottom of the EPC scale. Earlier certificates rated it D (August 2010); the latest reading is 2 bands lower. Between certificates, wall efficiency dropped from Good to Very Poor and roof efficiency dropped from Good to Average. The recommended improvements would push it to E (score 39). Main heating runs on oil. The latest certificate is from September 2010, so improvements made since then won't be reflected.
Held since January 2008 — that's 18 years off the open market, well above the local norm. That sale landed at the peak of the pre-credit-crunch market, which is a useful reference point when interpreting the price. Sale prices here have outpaced England HPI: 9% per year against 0% for the wider region. Today's modelled estimate of £485,000 is 49.2% above the 2008 sale price. On a £-per-square-foot basis, the last sale (£356/sq ft) was about 38.9% above the typical sold price in the postcode. At 85 m² it sits well below the postcode median (187 m² across 9 EPCs), making it one of the more compact homes locally. 3 planning records sit against the property, 0 approved, 0 refused.
Before you offer, see what the listing won't tell you, the true value, the red flags and the full history.
Already flagged here
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Orchard Side's carbon output runs well above what efficient homes in the postcode produce.
This certificate is over 10 years old and is no longer valid.Expired 28 Sept 2020
Planning history includes recorded demolition works, indicating a major rebuild phase at this address.
Independent checks surfaced things a buyer would want to understand before offering. The report explains each one in full, with the underlying data and what to ask.
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The latest sale landed at the peak of the pre-credit-crunch market — a high-water reference point.
£485,000
Modelled from EPC, postcode comparables and a sale-price growth of 9.0% per year over 4 years.
£325,000
Growth on file: 9.0% per year over 4 years.
What it's really worth, what could be wrong, and the planning, sales and area data in full.
What we flagged
On floor area, Orchard Side runs well behind the street norm.
Price per m²
£3,830
Street avg £4,182
Floor Area
85 m²
Street avg 178 m²
Habitable Rooms
5 rooms
Street avg 6 rooms
Daytime road noise here sits well below conversation level — a quiet pocket of the postcode.
Crime
3/mo
Steady year-on-year across the wider district.
Nearest stop
0.7 km

Daytime· 07:00 – 23:00
44.6dB

Valuation
against the asking price
Risks
planning & flood
Sold prices
similar homes nearby
Trends
the local market
Changes detected from historical EPC data
Heating controls changed
Hot water system upgraded
Low energy lighting percentage decreased
Replace 5no. existing single-glazed, timber windows (2no. first floor and 3no. ground floor) with single-glazed units copying the glazing bar section from window WG 01 (as amended by drawing no. 01 Rev A received on 05/12/2022).
Storey and a half extension attached to principal dwelling via single storey glazed link following demolition of existing flat roof extension, external alterations including replacing asbestos roof with Norfolk Reed.
23 January 2008Most recent
£325,000
+35.4%over 3 years16 July 2004
£240,000
Median price across the last 5 sales in SG8 8LH: £590,000 (2024–2021).
4 Smiths End Lane Barley Royston
Sold Oct 2024
Rayments Cottage Smiths End Lane Barley Royston
Sold Oct 2024
The Thatched Cottage Smiths End Lane Barley Royston
Sold Mar 2024
New Cottage Smiths End Lane Barley Royston
Sold Aug 2023
2 Smiths End Lane Barley Royston
Sold Mar 2021

CO₂ Emissions
7.6 t/year
Street avg 9.8 t/year
SG8 8AP
Richmond's Garage — bus stop.
Closest school
0.7 km
Barley (VA) Church of England First School. 2 schools nearby.
Go deeper on the local area
The full report breaks down crime, transport links, schools and air quality in depth.
Night-time· 23:00 – 07:00
36.7dB