Ruby Street Houghton-le-Spring, Sunderland
22 addresses across 1 postcode (DH4), about 60 m long, classed as a local road. USRN 38757390.
- Sales: 40 recorded sales since 1995; in 2024 the median was £61,000 across 1 sale.
- Energy: 17 homes have an energy certificate (C: 4, D: 9, E: 4).
- Flood: 4 addresses on its postcodes are in areas 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 A; Band D in Sunderland costs £2,197 a year in 2026-27.
- Broadband: Gigabit broadband is available to 100% of premises.
- Transport: The nearest railway station is Chester-Le-Street, about 6.5 km (4 miles) away in a straight line.
- Green space: The nearest park or garden is about 300 m away.
- Air: Background air pollution in 2024 was 8.6 µg/m³ of nitrogen dioxide and 5.8 of PM2.5, within UK legal limits.
- Height: Its addresses are 66 to 68 m above sea level.
- Noise: 21 of its 22 addresses are modelled at 55 dB or more from road traffic.
- Doctors: The nearest GP surgery is Kepier Medical Practice, about 570 m (0.4 miles) away, with 2 practices within 1.6 km (1 mile).
- People: About 360 people lived in the census areas around it in 2021; 56% of households owned their home and 21% of adults held a degree or other higher qualification.
- Crime: 59 crimes were recorded within 250 m between September 2025 and August 2026, most often shoplifting.
Sales on this street
| Year | Sales | Median price | Lowest | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1 | £61,000 | £61,000 | £61,000 |
| 2023 | 1 | £78,000 | £78,000 | £78,000 |
| 2022 | 1 | £58,000 | £58,000 | £58,000 |
| 2021 | 2 | £72,500 | £70,000 | £75,000 |
| 2019 | 1 | £63,750 | £63,750 | £63,750 |
| 2018 | 1 | £60,000 | £60,000 | £60,000 |
| 2016 | 2 | £61,250 | £45,000 | £77,500 |
| 2014 | 1 | £47,000 | £47,000 | £47,000 |
| 2013 | 1 | £66,550 | £66,550 | £66,550 |
| 2012 | 1 | £82,500 | £82,500 | £82,500 |
| 2008 | 2 | £86,750 | £83,500 | £90,000 |
| 2007 | 1 | £93,500 | £93,500 | £93,500 |
| Date | Address | Type | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 Mar 2026 | 4 DH4 4DR | Terraced | £63,500 | Not a standard sale (repossession, buy-to-let or transfer). |
| 19 Apr 2024 | 8 DH4 4DR | Terraced | £61,000 | |
| 8 Sep 2023 | 7 DH4 4DR | Terraced | £78,000 | |
| 20 May 2022 | 10 DH4 4DR | Terraced | £70,000 | Not a standard sale (repossession, buy-to-let or transfer). |
| 18 Jan 2022 | 22 DH4 4DR | Terraced | £58,000 | |
| 24 Nov 2021 | 17 DH4 4DR | Terraced | £75,000 | |
| 22 Jun 2021 | 6 DH4 4DR | Semi-detached | £70,000 | |
| 17 Feb 2021 | 3 DH4 4DR | Terraced | £53,000 | Not a standard sale (repossession, buy-to-let or transfer). |
| 30 Aug 2019 | 9 DH4 4DR | Terraced | £63,750 | |
| 4 Apr 2019 | 5 DH4 4DR | Terraced | £35,000 | Not a standard sale (repossession, buy-to-let or transfer). |
| 25 May 2018 | 17 DH4 4DR | Terraced | £60,000 | |
| 28 Apr 2017 | 13 DH4 4DR | Terraced | £46,000 | Not a standard sale (repossession, buy-to-let or transfer). |
| 31 Mar 2016 | 2 DH4 4DR | Terraced | £77,500 | |
| 24 Mar 2016 | 19 DH4 4DR | Terraced | £45,000 | |
| 8 Dec 2015 | 10 DH4 4DR | Terraced | £45,000 | Not a standard sale (repossession, buy-to-let or transfer). |
| 4 Jul 2014 | 11 DH4 4DR | Terraced | £47,000 | |
| 28 Jun 2013 | 17 DH4 4DR | Terraced | £66,550 | |
| 24 Apr 2012 | 2 DH4 4DR | Terraced | £82,500 | |
| 23 Sep 2008 | 8 DH4 4DR | Terraced | £90,000 | |
| 11 Apr 2008 | 17 DH4 4DR | Terraced | £83,500 | |
| 25 Oct 2007 | 14 DH4 4DR | Terraced | £93,500 | |
| 30 Nov 2006 | 3 DH4 4DR | Terraced | £82,500 | |
| 27 Oct 2006 | 2 DH4 4DR | Terraced | £92,000 | |
| 29 Sep 2006 | 4 DH4 4DR | Terraced | £77,000 | |
| 14 Jul 2006 | 7 DH4 4DR | Terraced | £75,000 | |
| 9 Mar 2006 | 9 DH4 4DR | Terraced | £74,950 | |
| 10 Dec 2004 | 10 DH4 4DR | Terraced | £75,000 | |
| 16 Apr 2004 | 9 DH4 4DR | Terraced | £20,000 | |
| 4 Jul 2003 | 17 DH4 4DR | Terraced | £45,500 | |
| 4 Apr 2003 | 4 DH4 4DR | Terraced | £32,500 | |
| 14 Mar 2003 | 17 DH4 4DR | Terraced | £23,000 | |
| 11 Feb 2003 | 6 DH4 4DR | Semi-detached | £25,000 | |
| 13 Dec 2002 | 3 DH4 4DR | Terraced | £26,000 | |
| 4 Oct 2002 | 11 DH4 4DR | Terraced | £28,000 | |
| 9 Aug 2002 | 14 DH4 4DR | Terraced | £28,000 | |
| 1 Jun 2001 | 10 DH4 4DR | Terraced | £31,950 | |
| 20 Apr 2000 | 18 DH4 4DR | Terraced | £30,000 | |
| 11 Aug 1998 | 11 DH4 4DR | Terraced | £18,500 | |
| 12 Sep 1997 | 9 DH4 4DR | Terraced | £16,500 | |
| 31 Jul 1996 | 2 DH4 4DR | Terraced | £11,100 |
Energy performance certificates
17 homes with a current certificate; median floor area 72 m². Most common: House, mid-terrace (13); House, end-terrace (4). Built: 1900-1929 (15); 1930-1949 (2). Tenure at assessment: owner-occupied (13); rented (private) (3).
Each home's certificates and sales (8 addresses)
Council tax
What each band costs in Sunderland in 2026-27: Band D £2,197 a year on average, including the police, fire and any county and parish charges.
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| £1,465 | £1,709 | £1,953 | £2,197 | £2,685 | £3,174 | £3,662 | £4,394 |
Homes by band in the neighbourhood around this street: most are in band A (94% of about 670 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.
Roadworks
No street works under way, planned or finished in the last three months on this street, in permits up to 30 September 2026.
Flood risk
Rivers, the sea or surface water: in this street's postcodes, 3 addresses are in areas at high risk, 1 at medium risk and 1 at low risk. Each address counts once, at the higher of its rivers-and-sea and surface-water risk.
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 22 addresses are between 66 m and 68 m above sea level (67 m on average).
Broadband
| Postcode | Superfast (30 Mbit/s+) | Ultrafast (300 Mbit/s+) | Gigabit | Below 10 Mbit/s |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DH4 4DR | 100% | 100% | 100% | 0% |
Getting around
| Nearest | Distance | |
|---|---|---|
| Railway stations | Chester-Le-Street 232,000 journeys in 2024–25 | 6.5 km (4 miles) |
| Seaham 165,000 journeys in 2024–25 | 8.5 km (5.3 miles) | |
| Sunderland 709,000 journeys in 2024–25 | 8.6 km (5.4 miles) | |
| Bus stops | 6 stops within 400 m (0.2 miles), 45 within 800 m (0.5 miles); nearest Houghton Road-Mowbray Terrace Houghton-le-Spring | 130 m |
| Bus or coach station | Interchange Hetton-le-Hole | 3.6 km (2.2 miles) |
| EV charging points | 2 within 1.6 km (1 mile); nearest Fastned Charging Station | 400 m (0.2 miles) |
| Airport with scheduled flights | Newcastle International Airport NCL | 25 km (16 miles) |
Local services
| Nearest | Distance | |
|---|---|---|
| GP surgeries | 2 practices within 1.6 km (1 mile); nearest Kepier Medical Practice | 570 m (0.4 miles) |
| Pharmacies | 4 pharmacies within 1.6 km (1 mile); nearest Kepier Pharmacy | 570 m (0.4 miles) |
| NHS dentists | 5 practices within 1.6 km (1 mile); nearest The Rectory | 1 km (0.6 miles) |
| Hospital | Spire Washington Hospital | 6.2 km (3.9 miles) |
| Police station | Northumbria Police | 1 km (0.6 miles) |
| Cash machines | Thandi Food Market - Houghton Le Spring Cashzone | 1.6 km (1 mile) |
Parks and green space
| Nearest | Distance | |
|---|---|---|
| Park or garden | 5 within 800 m (0.5 miles); nearest Unnamed 1.1 ha | 300 m |
| Largest park within 800 m (0.5 miles) | Unnamed 1.9 ha | 440 m (0.3 miles) |
| Play area | 4 within 800 m (0.5 miles); nearest Unnamed 530 m² | 60 m |
| Playing field | 2 within 800 m (0.5 miles); nearest Unnamed 1.7 ha | 400 m (0.2 miles) |
| Allotments | 3 within 800 m (0.5 miles); nearest Unnamed 1.3 ha | 30 m |
Within 800 m (0.5 miles): 5 parks and gardens, 4.2 hectares in all.
Landmarks
The nearest historic landmark is Houghton le Spring Area Offices of Sunderland District Council, a listed building (Grade II*), 1 km (0.6 miles) south-east. 15 listed buildings are within 1 km (0.6 miles), 1 of them Grade I and 1 of them Grade II*.
| Name | What it is | From the middle of the street |
|---|---|---|
| Houghton le Spring Area Offices of Sunderland District Council | Listed building, Grade II* | 1 km (0.6 miles) south-east |
| Church of St Michael and All Angels | Listed building, Grade I | 1 km (0.6 miles) south-east |
| Name | What it is | From the middle of the street |
|---|---|---|
| Houghton Hill | Hill | 610 m (0.4 miles) east |
| Bunker Hill | Hill | 1.5 km (0.9 miles) north |
| Morton Wood | Wood | 2.1 km (1.3 miles) south-west |
| Joe's Pond | Lake or reservoir | 2.2 km (1.4 miles) south |
| The Bottoms | Valley | 3.5 km (2.2 miles) north |
| Dog Hole | Tidal water | 3.9 km (2.4 miles) north-west |
Air quality
| Pollutant | Here | UK limit | WHO guideline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) | 8.6 | 40 | 10 |
| Fine particles (PM2.5) | 5.8 | 20 | 5 |
| Particles (PM10) | 10.2 | 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 70 to 74 | 3 | 0 |
| 65 to 69 | 3 | 0 |
| 60 to 64 | 7 | 0 |
| 55 to 59 | 8 | 0 |
| Under 55 | 1 | 22 |
21 of the street's 22 addresses are 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 Sunderland: see them on the Sunderland page.
Nearest schools
| School | Phase | Ages | Distance | Inspection |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newbottle Primary Academy | Primary | 3–11 | 340 m | Report card (Jun 2026): Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard; Achievement: Expected standard; Attendance and behaviour: Expected standard; Personal development and wellbeing: Expected standard; Inclusion: Expected standard; Leadership and governance: Expected standard; Early years: Expected standard; Safeguarding standards: Met |
| Burnside Academy Inspires | Primary | 3–11 | 480 m (0.3 miles) | No published inspection |
| Kepier | Secondary | 11–16 | 1.1 km (0.7 miles) | Report card (Jun 2026): Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard; Achievement: Expected standard; Attendance and behaviour: Expected standard; Personal development and wellbeing: Strong standard; Inclusion: Expected standard; Leadership and governance: Expected standard; Safeguarding standards: Met |
| Houghton Le Spring Nursery School | Nursery | 3–5 | 1.1 km (0.7 miles) | No published inspection |
| Bernard Gilpin Primary School | Primary | 5–11 | 1.3 km (0.8 miles) | Outstanding (Sep 2022, overall grade under the previous framework) |
| St Michael's Catholic Primary School, Houghton Roman Catholic | Primary | 4–11 | 1.6 km (1 mile) | Report card (Jun 2026): Curriculum and teaching: Strong standard; Achievement: Strong standard; Attendance and behaviour: Strong standard; Personal development and wellbeing: Expected standard; Inclusion: Expected standard; Leadership and governance: Strong standard; Early years: Strong standard; Safeguarding standards: Met |
| Dubmire Primary | Primary | 3–11 | 1.6 km (1 mile) | No overall grade (Oct 2024, graded inspection without an overall judgement): Quality of education: Outstanding; Behaviour and attitudes: Outstanding; Personal development: Good; Leadership and management: Outstanding |
| Gillas Lane Primary Academy | Primary | 3–11 | 1.8 km (1.1 miles) | No published inspection |
Food hygiene ratings nearby
| Business | Type | Distance | Rating | Rated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grasswell Chippy DH4 4DX | Takeaway/sandwich shop | 120 m | 5 Very good | 12 Mar 2026 |
| Tesco Stores Limited DH4 4AW | Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 380 m | 5 Very good | 30 Jan 2025 |
| Tesco Cafe DH4 4AW | Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 380 m | 5 Very good | 30 Jan 2025 |
| Home Bargains DH4 4AW | Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 380 m | 5 Very good | 24 Aug 2025 |
| Houghton Comrades Club DH4 4AT | Pub/bar/nightclub | 410 m (0.3 miles) | 5 Very good | 12 Mar 2020 |
| Binning Convenience Store DH4 5HL | Retailers - other | 470 m (0.3 miles) | 5 Very good | 23 Mar 2023 |
| Bargain Booze DH4 5LN | Retailers - other | 470 m (0.3 miles) | 5 Very good | 29 Apr 2019 |
Crime within 250 m
| Category | Crimes |
|---|---|
| Shoplifting | 25 |
| Criminal damage and arson | 11 |
| Violence and sexual offences | 9 |
| Anti-social behaviour | 4 |
| Other theft | 2 |
| Possession of weapons | 1 |
| Theft from the person | 1 |
| Other crime | 1 |
| Drugs | 1 |
| Burglary | 1 |
| Vehicle crime | 1 |
| Robbery | 1 |
| Public order | 1 |
Most of these are attached to: On or near Petrol Station (29); On or near Thorneyburn Close (7); On or near Grasswell Terrace (7); On or near Houghton Road (7); On or near Chester Street (4).
People and work
Who lives here
| Around this street | England | |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36 | 40 |
| Children under 15 | 21% | 17% |
| Aged 65 and over | 15% | 18% |
Homes
| Around this street | England | |
|---|---|---|
| Owned (outright or with a mortgage) | 56% | 61% |
| Owned outright | 31% | 33% |
| Shared ownership | 0% | 1% |
| Social rented | 10% | 17% |
| Private rented | 35% | 21% |
Work and commuting
| Around this street | England | |
|---|---|---|
| Adults (16 and over) in work | 65% | 57% |
| Unemployment (of those working or looking for work) | 4% | 6% |
| Retired (of adults) | 19% | 22% |
| Long-term sick or disabled (of adults) | 5% | 4% |
| Work mainly from home (of those in work) | 22% | 32% |
| Travel to work by car or van | 63% | 48% |
| By train, Underground, metro or tram | 0% | 4% |
| By any public transport, including bus | 7% | 8% |
| On foot or by bicycle | 6% | 10% |
| Work within 10 km (6 miles) of home (of those who travel to work) | 67% | 65% |
| Work 30 km (19 miles) or more away | under 1% | 8% |
Education and languages
| Around this street | England | |
|---|---|---|
| Degree or other higher qualification, Level 4+ (of adults) | 21% | 34% |
| No qualifications | 18% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship as highest qualification | 7% | 5% |
| Main language English (aged 3 and over) | 98% | 91% |
| Cannot speak English well or at all | under 1% | 2% |
Deprivation
The neighbourhood around this street is in decile 2 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
- DH4 4DR: 22 addresses of 24 in the postcode
Nearby streets
Lumley Street · Hylton Street · Chester Street · Houghton Road · Grasswell Terrace · Railway Street · Gertrude Street · Houghton Road · Houghton Road · Cellar Hill Terrace · Thorneyburn Close · Littleburn Close
All the streets in DH4 and across Sunderland.
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.