Birch Close Sonning Common, South Oxfordshire
27 addresses across 1 postcode (RG4), about 180 m long, classed as a local road. USRN 36200132.
- Sales: 31 recorded sales since 1995; in 2024 the median was £610,000 across 1 sale.
- Energy: 14 homes have an energy certificate (C: 3, D: 8, E: 3).
- Flood: No address on its postcodes is in an area at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers, the sea or surface water.
- Council tax: Most homes around it are in council tax band E; Band D in South Oxfordshire costs £2,598 a year in 2026-27.
- Broadband: Gigabit broadband is available to 100% of premises.
- Transport: The nearest railway station is Tilehurst, about 5.8 km (3.6 miles) away in a straight line.
- Green space: There is a small park or garden about 320 m away, and Memorial Park (4.2 hectares) is about 750 m (0.5 miles) away.
- Air: Background air pollution in 2024 was 6.4 µg/m³ of nitrogen dioxide and 6.6 of PM2.5, within UK legal limits.
- Height: Its addresses are 90 to 92 m above sea level.
- Noise: 1 of its 27 addresses is modelled at 55 dB or more from road traffic.
- Doctors: The nearest GP surgery is Sonning Common Health Ctr, about 350 m away.
- People: About 300 people lived in the census areas around it in 2021; 69% of households owned their home and 35% of adults held a degree or other higher qualification.
- Crime: 28 crimes were recorded within 250 m between September 2025 and August 2026, most often anti-social behaviour.
Sales on this street
| Year | Sales | Median price | Lowest | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1 | £610,000 | £610,000 | £610,000 |
| 2023 | 1 | £625,000 | £625,000 | £625,000 |
| 2022 | 1 | £535,000 | £535,000 | £535,000 |
| 2021 | 3 | £467,000 | £465,000 | £530,000 |
| 2019 | 2 | £486,000 | £442,000 | £530,000 |
| 2018 | 1 | £412,500 | £412,500 | £412,500 |
| 2017 | 2 | £425,000 | £400,000 | £450,000 |
| 2016 | 2 | £507,500 | £475,000 | £540,000 |
| 2015 | 2 | £384,498 | £369,000 | £399,995 |
| 2014 | 1 | £395,000 | £395,000 | £395,000 |
| 2010 | 1 | £323,750 | £323,750 | £323,750 |
| 2005 | 1 | £265,000 | £265,000 | £265,000 |
| Date | Address | Type | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 Apr 2024 | 2 RG4 9LE | Detached | £610,000 | |
| 18 Sep 2023 | 18 RG4 9LE | Detached | £625,000 | |
| 2 Sep 2022 | 20 RG4 9LE | Detached | £535,000 | |
| 12 Aug 2021 | 11 RG4 9LE | Detached | £467,000 | |
| 14 May 2021 | 24 RG4 9LE | Detached | £530,000 | |
| 31 Mar 2021 | 21 RG4 9LE | Semi-detached | £465,000 | |
| 6 Sep 2019 | 14 RG4 9LE | Detached | £530,000 | |
| 15 Feb 2019 | 4 RG4 9LE | Detached | £442,000 | |
| 22 Oct 2018 | 10 RG4 9LE | Detached | £412,500 | |
| 17 Aug 2017 | 4 RG4 9LE | Detached | £450,000 | |
| 5 May 2017 | 12 RG4 9LE | Detached | £400,000 | |
| 4 Nov 2016 | 22 RG4 9LE | Detached | £540,000 | |
| 21 Oct 2016 | 23 RG4 9LE | Detached | £475,000 | |
| 9 Oct 2015 | 19 RG4 9LE | Semi-detached | £369,000 | |
| 14 Jul 2015 | 11 RG4 9LE | Detached | £399,995 | |
| 29 Aug 2014 | 20 RG4 9LE | Detached | £395,000 | |
| 10 Aug 2010 | 6 RG4 9LE | Detached | £323,750 | |
| 30 Nov 2005 | 3 RG4 9LE | Detached | £265,000 | |
| 8 Jul 2004 | 18 RG4 9LE | Detached | £265,000 | |
| 26 May 2004 | 24 RG4 9LE | Detached | £310,000 | |
| 28 Jul 2003 | 11 RG4 9LE | Detached | £250,000 | |
| 2 Apr 2002 | 20 RG4 9LE | Detached | £249,500 | |
| 17 Jan 2002 | 11 RG4 9LE | Detached | £230,000 | |
| 2 Nov 2001 | 6 RG4 9LE | Detached | £195,000 | |
| 20 Oct 1999 | 3 RG4 9LE | Detached | £163,000 | |
| 6 Aug 1998 | 12 RG4 9LE | Detached | £139,950 | |
| 15 Jan 1998 | 11 RG4 9LE | Detached | £150,000 | |
| 4 Apr 1997 | 11 RG4 9LE | Detached | £112,000 | |
| 29 Feb 1996 | 16 RG4 9LE | Semi-detached | £80,000 | |
| 10 Nov 1995 | 10 RG4 9LE | Detached | £108,000 | |
| 9 Jun 1995 | 20 RG4 9LE | Detached | £100,000 |
Energy performance certificates
14 homes with a current certificate; median floor area 92 m². Most common: Bungalow, detached (9); House, detached (5). Built: 1967-1975 (6); 1950-1966 (6); 1976-1982 (2). Tenure at assessment: owner-occupied (14).
Council tax
What each band costs in South Oxfordshire in 2026-27: Band D £2,598 a year on average, including the police, fire and any county and parish charges.
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| £1,732 | £2,020 | £2,309 | £2,598 | £3,175 | £3,752 | £4,329 | £5,195 |
Homes by band in the neighbourhood around this street: most are in band E (28% of about 710 homes).
Planning and heritage
- Conservation area: no postcode centre in this street's postcodes is in one.
- Listed buildings on or by this street: none.
- Article 4 direction (removing permitted development rights): none recorded, though not every council has published theirs.
- Tree preservation orders: none recorded, though not every council has published theirs.
- Green belt: no.
Brownfield land registered for housing within 1 km (0.6 miles)
- 31 Wood Lane, Sonning Common, RG4 9SJ: up to 6 homes, permissioned (420 m (0.3 miles))
- 69 - 71 Peppard Road Sonning Common RG4 9RN: up to 6 homes, permissioned (590 m (0.4 miles))
Roadworks
Finished in the last three months
- 9 September 2026 to 11 September 2026: BT, Utility asset works, no carriageway incursion, on the footway (minor works)
- 20 August 2026 to 21 August 2026: BT, Utility repair and maintenance works, no carriageway incursion, on the footway (immediate - urgent works)
- 11 August 2026 to 20 August 2026: BT, Utility asset works, some carriageway incursion, on the footway (standard works)
- 3 August 2026 to 7 August 2026: BT, Utility asset works, some carriageway incursion, on the footway (standard works)
Flood risk
No address in this street's postcodes is in an area at high, medium or low risk of flooding from rivers, the sea or surface water. The rest are in areas at very low risk: less than a 0.1% (1 in 1,000) chance a year.
Rivers and the sea alone: no home is in an area at risk.
High: 3.3% (1 in 30) or more chance of flooding a year. Medium: 1% to 3.3%. Low: 0.1% to 1%. Very low: under 0.1%. The rivers and sea figures allow for flood defences. Counts cover whole postcodes, which can include other streets.
Flood zone for planning: no postcode centre is in flood zone 2 or 3.
Height above sea level
The street's 27 addresses are between 90 m and 92 m above sea level (91 m on average).
Broadband
| Postcode | Superfast (30 Mbit/s+) | Ultrafast (300 Mbit/s+) | Gigabit | Below 10 Mbit/s |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RG4 9LE | 100% | 100% | 100% | 0% |
Getting around
| Nearest | Distance | |
|---|---|---|
| Railway stations | Tilehurst 385,000 journeys in 2024–25 | 5.8 km (3.6 miles) |
| Henley-On-Thames 835,000 journeys in 2024–25 | 6 km (3.7 miles) | |
| Reading 14 million journeys in 2024–25 | 6 km (3.8 miles) | |
| Bus stops | 6 stops within 400 m (0.2 miles), 18 within 800 m (0.5 miles); nearest Westleigh Drive Sonning Common | 190 m |
| Bus or coach station | Reading Rail Station - buses | 6.1 km (3.8 miles) |
| EV charging points | Roam Charging Station | 2.8 km (1.7 miles) |
| Airport with scheduled flights | London Heathrow Airport LHR | 36.4 km (23 miles) |
Local services
| Nearest | Distance | |
|---|---|---|
| GP surgeries | 1 practices within 1.6 km (1 mile); nearest Sonning Common Health Ctr | 350 m |
| Pharmacies | 1 pharmacies within 1.6 km (1 mile); nearest Day Lewis Pharmacy | 450 m (0.3 miles) |
| NHS dentists | 1 practices within 1.6 km (1 mile); nearest Wood Lane (Dental Surgery) | 450 m (0.3 miles) |
| Hospital | Townlands Memorial Hospital | 5.7 km (3.6 miles) |
| Police station | Sonning Common Police Station | 140 m |
| Cash machines | 1 machines within 800 m (0.5 miles); nearest The Cooperative Food Sonning Common, Sonning Common | 530 m (0.3 miles) |
Parks and green space
| Nearest | Distance | |
|---|---|---|
| Park or garden | 2 within 800 m (0.5 miles); nearest Unnamed 1,780 m² | 320 m |
| Largest park within 800 m (0.5 miles) | Memorial Park 4.2 ha | 750 m (0.5 miles) |
| Play area | 4 within 800 m (0.5 miles); nearest Unnamed 4,260 m² | 130 m |
| Playing field | Bishopswood Sports Ground 6.0 ha | 1.4 km (0.9 miles) |
| Allotments | Unnamed 1.1 ha | 1.7 km (1 mile) |
Within 800 m (0.5 miles): 2 parks and gardens, 4.4 hectares in all.
Landmarks
3 listed buildings are within 1 km (0.6 miles).
| Name | What it is | From the middle of the street |
|---|---|---|
| Hag Pits | Wood | 260 m south |
| Rudgings Plantation | Wood | 510 m (0.3 miles) south |
| Young Wood | Wood | 570 m (0.4 miles) east |
| Widmore Pond | Lake or reservoir | 840 m (0.5 miles) north-east |
| Stony Bottom | Valley | 1.5 km (1 mile) north-east |
| King's Hill | Hill | 2 km (1.3 miles) east |
Air quality
| Pollutant | Here | UK limit | WHO guideline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) | 6.4 | 40 | 10 |
| Fine particles (PM2.5) | 6.6 | 20 | 5 |
| Particles (PM10) | 10.6 | 40 | 15 |
All three are within the UK legal limits; PM2.5 is above the WHO guideline, as in most towns and cities.
Road and rail noise
| Level | Road traffic | Railways |
|---|---|---|
| 55 to 59 | 1 | 0 |
| Under 55 | 26 | 27 |
1 of the street's 27 addresses is modelled at 55 dB or more from road traffic, above the WHO guidelines.
Climate, daylight and earthquakes
Monthly temperatures and rainfall, sunrise and sunset through the year, and earthquakes recorded nearby since 1970 are much the same across the area, so they are worked out once for South Oxfordshire: see them on the South Oxfordshire page.
Nearest schools
| School | Phase | Ages | Distance | Inspection |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sonning Common Primary School | Primary | 4–11 | 240 m | No published inspection |
| Maiden Erlegh Chiltern Edge | Secondary | 11–16 | 810 m (0.5 miles) | Report card (Jun 2026): Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard; Achievement: Expected standard; Attendance and behaviour: Needs attention; Personal development and wellbeing: Expected standard; Inclusion: Expected standard; Leadership and governance: Expected standard; Safeguarding standards: Met |
| Kidmore End Church of England Primary School | Primary | 4–11 | 1.2 km (0.7 miles) | Good (Oct 2023, overall grade under the previous framework) |
| Peppard Church of England Primary School | Primary | 4–11 | 1.9 km (1.2 miles) | Report card (Jan 2026): Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard; Achievement: Expected standard; Attendance and behaviour: Strong standard; Personal development and wellbeing: Expected standard; Inclusion: Expected standard; Leadership and governance: Expected standard; Early years: Strong standard; Safeguarding standards: Met |
Food hygiene ratings nearby
| Business | Type | Distance | Rating | Rated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operation Friendship RG4 9ND | Other catering premises | 180 m | Exempt | |
| The Herb Farm RG4 9NJ | Retailers - other | 260 m | 5 Very good | 1 Feb 2022 |
| Pierreponts Cafe at The Herb Farm RG4 9NJ | Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 260 m | 5 Very good | 11 Dec 2024 |
| Little Petals Day Nursery RG4 9SJ | Hospitals/Childcare/Caring Premises | 460 m (0.3 miles) | 5 Very good | 2 Apr 2025 |
| Hot Wok RG4 9SJ | Takeaway/sandwich shop | 460 m (0.3 miles) | 3 Generally satisfactory | 27 May 2026 |
| Tandoori Connoisseur RG4 9SJ | Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 480 m (0.3 miles) | 3 Generally satisfactory | 28 Aug 2025 |
Crime within 250 m
| Category | Crimes |
|---|---|
| Anti-social behaviour | 9 |
| Violence and sexual offences | 8 |
| Other theft | 4 |
| Other crime | 2 |
| Burglary | 1 |
| Public order | 1 |
| Drugs | 1 |
| Criminal damage and arson | 1 |
| Vehicle crime | 1 |
Most of these are attached to: On or near Lea Road (11); On or near Cheriton Place (5); On or near Rowan Close (4); On or near Elm Court (4); On or near Ilex Close (3).
People and work
Who lives here
| Around this street | England | |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 51 | 40 |
| Children under 15 | 16% | 17% |
| Aged 65 and over | 35% | 18% |
Homes
| Around this street | England | |
|---|---|---|
| Owned (outright or with a mortgage) | 69% | 61% |
| Owned outright | 45% | 33% |
| Shared ownership | 0% | 1% |
| Social rented | 21% | 17% |
| Private rented | 11% | 21% |
Work and commuting
| Around this street | England | |
|---|---|---|
| Adults (16 and over) in work | 49% | 57% |
| Unemployment (of those working or looking for work) | 6% | 6% |
| Retired (of adults) | 38% | 22% |
| Long-term sick or disabled (of adults) | 4% | 4% |
| Work mainly from home (of those in work) | 31% | 32% |
| Travel to work by car or van | 55% | 48% |
| By train, Underground, metro or tram | 0% | 4% |
| By any public transport, including bus | under 1% | 8% |
| On foot or by bicycle | 10% | 10% |
| Work within 10 km (6 miles) of home (of those who travel to work) | 71% | 65% |
| Work 30 km (19 miles) or more away | 9% | 8% |
Education and languages
| Around this street | England | |
|---|---|---|
| Degree or other higher qualification, Level 4+ (of adults) | 35% | 34% |
| No qualifications | 14% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship as highest qualification | 8% | 5% |
| Main language English (aged 3 and over) | 92% | 91% |
| Cannot speak English well or at all | 0% | 2% |
Deprivation
The neighbourhood around this street is in decile 10 of 10 on the English Indices of Deprivation 2025, where 1 is the most deprived tenth of England's 33,755 neighbourhoods and 10 the least.
What has changed
Nothing new since the change feed started on 30 October 2026. New sales and energy certificates, and hygiene ratings, school inspections and flood figures nearby, will be listed here as the sources update.
Postcodes on this street
- RG4 9LE: 27 addresses
Nearby streets
Westleigh Drive · Rowan Close · Lea Road · Ilex Close · Elm Court · Maple Close · Cheriton Place · Paddock Close · Grove Road · Rosemary Crescent · Kennylands Road · Bay Tree Rise
All the streets in RG4 and across South Oxfordshire.
What this page cannot tell you
- Whether a particular house is at risk of flooding, subsiding or anything else: the flood map is a model of areas and there is no property-level data here.
- What a home is worth now: sales are historic prices for the homes that happened to sell.
- How safe the street is: crime points are moved to anonymised locations and many crimes are never reported.
- Whether you would get a place at a school: distances are straight lines, not catchments.
- Who lives on the street now: census figures describe the small areas around it in March 2021, during a lockdown.
- How long a journey takes or how often anything runs: transport distances are straight lines to the nearest stops.
- Whether a GP practice is taking new patients, or a dentist new NHS patients.
- How loud a home is inside, or noise from industry, neighbours or smaller airfields: noise figures are models of road, rail and air traffic outside.
How each figure on this page is matched to the street and worked out: methodology.