East Sussex
Side return extensions in East Sussex
Infilling the narrow passage beside a Victorian or Edwardian back addition. Rear extensions in East Sussex: we cover 15 towns including Brighton, Eastbourne and Hastings, with design, approvals and the build under one contract.
In Brighton we check the boundary line and the neighbour's gutter before drawing a side return, because a few centimetres decide whether the wall goes on or beside the boundary. Around East Sussex the housing ranges from inter-war semis to 1960s and 1970s estates with good-sized gardens. Many of the newer estates had permitted development rights removed by condition, so we check the planning history before anything is drawn.
How much does a side return extension cost in East Sussex?
For East Sussex we work from the South East England rate: £2,580–£4,260 per square metre of new floor, including VAT, standard specification. South East prices run above our West Midlands baseline, mainly on labour rates and clay-soil foundations.
| Size | Guide price inc VAT |
|---|---|
| 2 m wide × 6 m deep (12 m²) | £31,000–£51,000 |
| 2.5 m wide × 7 m deep (17.5 m²) | £45,000–£74,500 |
We put a fixed price in writing once the design is agreed, and explain any provisional sums such as foundations.
Do you need planning permission in East Sussex?
Side return infills and the side leg of a wraparound are treated as side extensions in England: single-storey, no more than 4 metres high and no wider than half the original house. They are not permitted development in conservation areas, National Parks or National Landscapes, and a joined wraparound often needs a planning application because the side and rear rules apply together.
The Party Wall etc. Act 1996 applies in England: you serve notice two months before work to a shared wall, and one month before digging foundations within 3 metres (or 6 metres for deeper foundations) of a neighbour's building. Neighbours can agree in writing; if they dissent, surveyors agree an award.
Conservation areas, National Parks, National Landscapes and the Broads restrict permitted development, and listed buildings always need listed building consent.
Where in East Sussex do we work?
FAQ
Questions people ask
How much space does a side return add?
Typically 8 to 18 square metres, enough to turn a galley kitchen into a kitchen-diner with an island.
Do I need my neighbour's permission?
Not their permission, but in England and Wales you must serve party wall notices, and a neighbour can consent in writing or ask for a surveyor's award.
Can I combine a side return with a rear extension?
Yes; that is a wraparound extension, and it gives the biggest open-plan room a terrace can have.
Do you cover all of East Sussex?
We cover 15 towns and districts in East Sussex, including Brighton, Eastbourne and Hastings.
Who builds the extension?
Vetted building teams working under contract to us; your contract is with S&K Property Investments and Improvement Ltd.