Essex
Side return extensions in Essex
Infilling the narrow passage beside a Victorian or Edwardian back addition. Across Essex we handle the whole rear extension: survey, drawings, the planning route, building control and the build. Towns we cover here include Southend-on-Sea, Basildon and Colchester.
In Southend-on-Sea 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. Post-war semis and newer estates are typical of Essex, and many have room for a full-width extension. Shrinkable clay is common in the East of England, so foundations near trees and hedges are designed to NHBC-style depth guidance.
How much does a side return extension cost in Essex?
For Essex we work from the East of England rate: £2,440–£4,030 per square metre of new floor, including VAT, standard specification. East of England prices run slightly above our West Midlands baseline; clay soils near trees are the main foundation variable.
| Size | Guide price inc VAT |
|---|---|
| 2 m wide × 6 m deep (12 m²) | £29,500–£48,500 |
| 2.5 m wide × 7 m deep (17.5 m²) | £42,500–£70,500 |
Ground conditions, glazing, the roof and how far the house is opened up move the final figure within the range.
Do you need planning permission in Essex?
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 Essex do we work?
- Southend-on-Sea
- Basildon
- Colchester
- Chelmsford
- Harlow
- Grays
- Braintree
- Brentwood
- Clacton-on-Sea
- South Benfleet
- Canvey Island
- Billericay
- Rayleigh
- Stanford-le-Hope
- Wickford
- Witham
- Pitsea
- Maldon
- Waltham Abbey
- South Ockendon
- Harwich
- Hadleigh
- Walton-on-the-Naze
- Frinton-on-Sea
- Rochford
- Saffron Walden
- Tilbury
- Chafford Hundred
- Chigwell
- Halstead
- Buckhurst Hill
- Epping
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 Essex?
We cover 32 towns and districts in Essex, including Southend-on-Sea, Basildon and Colchester.
Who builds the extension?
Vetted building teams working under contract to us; your contract is with S&K Property Investments and Improvement Ltd.