Wratten Close Hitchin, North Hertfordshire
54 addresses across 1 postcode (SG5), about 90 m long, classed as a local road. USRN 27922196.
- Energy: 48 homes have an energy certificate (C: 35, D: 12, E: 1).
- Flood: 12 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 B; Band D in North Hertfordshire costs £2,449 a year in 2026-27.
- Broadband: Gigabit broadband is available to 100% of premises.
- Transport: The nearest railway station is Hitchin, about 1.6 km (1 mile) away in a straight line.
- Green space: The nearest park or garden is about 550 m (0.3 miles) away.
- Air: Background air pollution in 2024 was 8.8 µg/m³ of nitrogen dioxide and 7.2 of PM2.5, within UK legal limits.
- Height: Its addresses are 70 to 72 m above sea level.
- Noise: 33 of its 54 addresses are modelled at 55 dB or more from road traffic.
- Doctors: The nearest GP surgery is Hertfordshire Special Allocation Scheme, about 670 m (0.4 miles) away, with 4 practices within 1.6 km (1 mile).
- People: About 200 people lived in the census areas around it in 2021; 40% of households owned their home and 29% of adults held a degree or other higher qualification.
- Crime: 32 crimes were recorded within 250 m between September 2025 and August 2026, most often anti-social behaviour.
Sales on this street
No sales recorded on this street since January 1995 under this street name.
Energy performance certificates
48 homes with a current certificate; median floor area 41 m². Most common: Flat (38); Bungalow, mid-terrace (5); Bungalow, end-terrace (4). Built: 1950-1966 (33); 1967-1975 (9); 1976-1982 (5). Tenure at assessment: rented (social) (30); owner-occupied (10); rented (private) (7).
Each home's certificates and sales (5 addresses)
Council tax
What each band costs in North Hertfordshire in 2026-27: Band D £2,449 a year on average, including the police, fire and any county and parish charges.
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| £1,632 | £1,904 | £2,176 | £2,449 | £2,993 | £3,537 | £4,081 | £4,897 |
Homes by band in the neighbourhood around this street: most are in band B (32% of about 1,500 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)
- Elderley Persons Home, Wratten Road West, Hitchin: up to 11 homes, permissioned (50 m)
- 2 - 8 Bucklersbury Hitchin Hertfordshire SG5 1BB: up to 7 homes, permissioned (360 m)
- Block B, Latchmore Court, Hitchin: up to 10 homes, permissioned (460 m (0.3 miles))
- The Exchange, Queen Street, Hitchin: up to 10 homes, pending decision (650 m (0.4 miles))
- Hitchin Hospital, Talbot Street, permissioned (880 m (0.5 miles))
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, 8 addresses are in areas at high risk, 4 at medium risk and 17 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 54 addresses are between 70 m and 72 m above sea level (71 m on average).
Broadband
| Postcode | Superfast (30 Mbit/s+) | Ultrafast (300 Mbit/s+) | Gigabit | Below 10 Mbit/s |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SG5 2BL | 100% | 100% | 100% | 0% |
Getting around
| Nearest | Distance | |
|---|---|---|
| Railway stations | Hitchin 2.9 million journeys in 2024–25 | 1.6 km (1 mile) |
| Letchworth Garden City 1.8 million journeys in 2024–25 | 5.3 km (3.3 miles) | |
| Stevenage 4.7 million journeys in 2024–25 | 7.2 km (4.5 miles) | |
| Bus stops | 2 stops within 400 m (0.2 miles), 16 within 800 m (0.5 miles); nearest Moormead Close Hitchin | 200 m |
| Bus or coach station | Bus Station Stevenage | 7.3 km (4.6 miles) |
| EV charging points | 2 within 1.6 km (1 mile); nearest Lairaige Multi storey Car Park GeniePoint | 440 m (0.3 miles) |
| Airport with scheduled flights | London Luton Airport LTN | 9.8 km (6.1 miles) |
Local services
| Nearest | Distance | |
|---|---|---|
| GP surgeries | 4 practices within 1.6 km (1 mile); nearest Hertfordshire Special Allocation Scheme | 670 m (0.4 miles) |
| Pharmacies | 6 pharmacies within 1.6 km (1 mile); nearest Boots | 430 m (0.3 miles) |
| NHS dentists | 10 practices within 1.6 km (1 mile); nearest Tilehouse Dental Care Clinic | 240 m |
| Hospital | The Lister Hospital | 5.5 km (3.4 miles) |
| Police station | Hitchin Police Station | 1.2 km (0.7 miles) |
| Cash machines | 1 machines within 800 m (0.5 miles); nearest The Cooperative Food Stotfold, Mulberry Close Stotfold | 400 m (0.2 miles) |
Parks and green space
| Nearest | Distance | |
|---|---|---|
| Park or garden | 1 within 800 m (0.5 miles); nearest Unnamed 4.5 ha | 550 m (0.3 miles) |
| Play area | 1 within 800 m (0.5 miles); nearest Unnamed 970 m² | 240 m |
| Playing field | 3 within 800 m (0.5 miles); nearest The Smithson Recreation Ground 4,010 m² | 190 m |
| Allotments | 2 within 800 m (0.5 miles); nearest Unnamed 3,190 m² | 470 m (0.3 miles) |
Within 800 m (0.5 miles): 1 park or garden, 4.5 hectares in all.
Landmarks
The nearest historic landmark is Western House, a listed building (Grade II*), 210 m north-east. 192 listed buildings are within 1 km (0.6 miles), 2 of them Grade I and 11 of them Grade II*.
| Name | What it is | From the middle of the street |
|---|---|---|
| Western House | Listed building, Grade II* | 210 m north-east |
| 81 and 82, Tilehouse Street | Listed building, Grade II* | 240 m north-east |
| 33 and 34, Bucklersbury | Listed building, Grade II* | 330 m east |
| 29, Bucklersbury | Listed building, Grade II* | 330 m east |
| Name | What it is | From the middle of the street |
|---|---|---|
| The Willows | Wood | 500 m (0.3 miles) south-west |
| Butt's Close Pond | Lake or reservoir | 650 m (0.4 miles) north |
| Blundell's Copse | Wood | 760 m (0.5 miles) south |
| Windmill Hill | Hill | 920 m (0.6 miles) east |
| Charlton Mill Pond | Lake or reservoir | 1 km (0.6 miles) south |
| Bearton Pond | Lake or reservoir | 1.2 km (0.7 miles) north |
Air quality
| Pollutant | Here | UK limit | WHO guideline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) | 8.8 | 40 | 10 |
| Fine particles (PM2.5) | 7.2 | 20 | 5 |
| Particles (PM10) | 12.3 | 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 65 to 69 | 22 | 0 |
| 60 to 64 | 8 | 0 |
| 55 to 59 | 3 | 0 |
| Under 55 | 21 | 54 |
33 of the street's 54 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 North Hertfordshire: see them on the North Hertfordshire page.
Nearest schools
| School | Phase | Ages | Distance | Inspection |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samuel Lucas Primary School | Primary | 4–11 | 540 m (0.3 miles) | Outstanding (Oct 2023, overall grade under the previous framework) |
| Hitchin Boys' School | Secondary | 11–18 | 700 m (0.4 miles) | Report card (Nov 2025): Curriculum and teaching: Strong standard; Achievement: Strong standard; Attendance and behaviour: Exceptional; Personal development and wellbeing: Exceptional; Inclusion: Exceptional; Leadership and governance: Exceptional; Post-16 provision: Strong standard; Safeguarding standards: Met |
| Highbury Infant School and Nursery | Primary | 3–7 | 820 m (0.5 miles) | No published inspection |
| Wilshere-Dacre Junior Academy | Primary | 7–11 | 890 m (0.6 miles) | No published inspection |
| Hitchin Girls' School | Secondary | 11–18 | 1 km (0.6 miles) | No overall grade (Oct 2024, graded inspection without an overall judgement): Quality of education: Outstanding; Behaviour and attitudes: Outstanding; Personal development: Outstanding; Leadership and management: Outstanding |
| York Road Nursery School | Nursery | 2–5 | 1.1 km (0.7 miles) | No published inspection |
| Oughton Primary and Nursery School | Primary | 3–11 | 1.2 km (0.8 miles) | No published inspection |
| Whitehill Junior School | Primary | 7–11 | 1.3 km (0.8 miles) | No published inspection |
| St Andrew's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Hitchin | Primary | 4–11 | 1.4 km (0.9 miles) | Report card (Jul 2026): Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard; Achievement: Expected standard; Attendance and behaviour: Strong standard; Personal development and wellbeing: Strong standard; Inclusion: Expected standard; Leadership and governance: Expected standard; Early years: Strong standard; Safeguarding standards: Met |
| William Ransom Primary School | Primary | 4–11 | 1.7 km (1.1 miles) | No overall grade (Mar 2025, graded inspection without an overall judgement): Quality of education: Requires improvement; Behaviour and attitudes: Good; Personal development: Good; Leadership and management: Requires improvement |
| Strathmore Infant and Nursery School | Primary | 3–7 | 1.8 km (1.1 miles) | No published inspection |
| The Priory School | Secondary | 11–18 | 1.8 km (1.1 miles) | No published inspection |
Food hygiene ratings nearby
| Business | Type | Distance | Rating | Rated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tilehouse Street Playgroup SG5 2EE | Hospitals/Childcare/Caring Premises | 120 m | 5 Very good | 16 Mar 2005 |
| The Highlander SG5 2EF | Pub/bar/nightclub | 150 m | 5 Very good | 25 Sep 2026 |
| Gather & Gather by CH&CO Catering Ltd SG5 2DW | Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 220 m | 5 Very good | 6 Nov 2025 |
| Coopers Arms SG5 2DY | Pub/bar/nightclub | 240 m | 5 Very good | 25 Feb 2025 |
| Hitchin Priory Hotel | Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house | 250 m | 4 Good | 8 Sep 2026 |
| CH & Co at ReAssure Hitchin | Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 250 m | 5 Very good | 4 Apr 2025 |
| Wakelin & Son SG5 1AR | Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 320 m | 4 Good | 8 Mar 2022 |
| Let’s Party SG5 1BG | Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 320 m | 5 Very good | 25 Feb 2025 |
| Bodrum Take Away SG5 1BG | Takeaway/sandwich shop | 330 m | 4 Good | 17 Sep 2025 |
| Bodillys Oriental Cuisine SG5 1BG | Takeaway/sandwich shop | 330 m | 4 Good | 4 Mar 2026 |
| Bar Azita SG5 1BG | Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 330 m | 5 Very good | 22 May 2026 |
| The George SG5 1BG | Pub/bar/nightclub | 330 m | 4 Good | 27 Apr 2025 |
| Kite at The Red Hart SG5 1BG | Pub/bar/nightclub | 330 m | 5 Very good | 5 Mar 2026 |
| Chilli B's SG5 1BG | Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 330 m | 5 Very good | 27 Aug 2026 |
| Mi Barrio Hitchin SG5 1BG | Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 330 m | 5 Very good | 7 Nov 2025 |
Crime within 250 m
| Category | Crimes |
|---|---|
| Anti-social behaviour | 15 |
| Violence and sexual offences | 4 |
| Public order | 4 |
| Possession of weapons | 3 |
| Vehicle crime | 2 |
| Criminal damage and arson | 2 |
| Other theft | 1 |
| Drugs | 1 |
Most of these are attached to: On or near Sports/Recreation Area (9); On or near Wratten Road West (8); On or near Wratten Close (8); On or near The Limes (2); On or near Offley Road (1).
People and work
Who lives here
| Around this street | England | |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 69 | 40 |
| Children under 15 | 7% | 17% |
| Aged 65 and over | 61% | 18% |
Homes
| Around this street | England | |
|---|---|---|
| Owned (outright or with a mortgage) | 40% | 61% |
| Owned outright | 32% | 33% |
| Shared ownership | 0% | 1% |
| Social rented | 51% | 17% |
| Private rented | 9% | 21% |
Work and commuting
| Around this street | England | |
|---|---|---|
| Adults (16 and over) in work | 28% | 57% |
| Unemployment (of those working or looking for work) | 11% | 6% |
| Retired (of adults) | 60% | 22% |
| Long-term sick or disabled (of adults) | 4% | 4% |
| Work mainly from home (of those in work) | 43% | 32% |
| Travel to work by car or van | 37% | 48% |
| By train, Underground, metro or tram | 6% | 4% |
| By any public transport, including bus | 12% | 8% |
| On foot or by bicycle | 8% | 10% |
| Work within 10 km (6 miles) of home (of those who travel to work) | 70% | 65% |
| Work 30 km (19 miles) or more away | 13% | 8% |
Education and languages
| Around this street | England | |
|---|---|---|
| Degree or other higher qualification, Level 4+ (of adults) | 29% | 34% |
| No qualifications | 32% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship as highest qualification | 9% | 5% |
| Main language English (aged 3 and over) | 96% | 91% |
| Cannot speak English well or at all | 1% | 2% |
Deprivation
The neighbourhood around this street is in decile 9 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
- Food hygiene ratings The Hamm / Hammered Hitchin (restaurant/cafe/canteen, SG5 1ED) now 4 Good, was 5 Very good (rated 24 September 2026) found 30 October 2026
Postcodes on this street
- SG5 2BL: 54 addresses
Nearby streets
Wratten Road West · The Limes · Russells Slip · Upper Tilehouse Street · Hawthorn Close · Offley Road · Wratten Road East · Kitchen Garden Court · Meadow Way · Moormead Close · Coopers Alley · Winston Close
All the streets in SG5 and across North Hertfordshire.
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.