Side return extensions in Wigan: design, approvals and build
Thinking about a side return extension for your Wigan home? Start with a free site visit: we measure up, check what the council will allow and give you honest guide figures on the day.
- Guide price in WiganFrom £17,000 inc VAT
- PlanningOften permitted development; party wall notice usual
- Build time10–14 weeks on site
- Postcode districtsWN1, WN2, WN3, WN4, WN5
Local to Wigan
Site visits are available across Wigan (WN1, WN2, WN3, WN4, WN5, WN6). We also work in nearby Hindley (2 miles), Ashton-in-Makerfield (4 miles), Westhoughton (5 miles), Horwich (5 miles).
Golborne, in Merseyside, is roughly 5 miles from Wigan and also on our list. The North West has a high share of Victorian and Edwardian terraces with rear yards and outriggers, plus large areas of inter-war semis in the suburbs.
Guide prices for Wigan
Prices below are for Wigan, using the North West England factor of ×0.95. They are guide ranges including VAT for the build only, not a quote.
Typical rates in Wigan: £2,000 to £3,610 per m² including VAT, depending on specification.
| Size | Essential | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.8 m × 4.5 m 8 m² | £17,000 – £20,500 | £18,000 – £23,000 | £22,500 – £29,000 |
| 2 m × 5.5 m 11 m² | £21,500 – £26,500 | £25,000 – £31,500 | £31,000 – £40,000 |
| 2.2 m × 7 m 15 m² | £29,500 – £36,000 | £34,000 – £43,000 | £42,500 – £54,500 |
Want a range for your exact size? The guide-price tool takes about a minute.
Do I need planning permission in Wigan?
In England a single-storey side return infill is often permitted development if it stays within the height limits and is no wider than half the width of the original house. Conservation areas, listed buildings and flats always need an application, and the boundary wall usually brings in the Party Wall Act.
In a conservation area, national park, National Landscape, the Broads or a World Heritage Site the permitted development limits are tighter (no side or two-storey extensions without an application). Listed homes need listed building consent, and if permitted development rights have been removed, any extension needs an application.
Building regulations approval is separate from planning. In England you can use the council's building control team or a registered building control approver; a full plans application gets the drawings checked before work starts, and the inspector signs the work off with a completion certificate.
Applications are decided by the local planning authority (your district, borough or unitary council).
What is included
- Kitchen-ready shell or full finish
- Survey of the outrigger, boundary wall and drainage
- Removal of the side wall and new steelwork
- Glazed, sloping or flat roof with rooflights
- Party wall notice support (England and Wales)
- New boundary wall or raised party wall
What happens next
Site visits are free and there is no obligation. Where drawings are needed, the design stage is priced in writing before it starts.
Free site visit
It starts with a visit to your house to measure, check access and talk through ideas and budget.
Design and approvals
Drawings are prepared and agreed with you, then submitted for the right planning route and building regulations approval.
Fixed written price
With the design and specification agreed, you get a fixed written price and a start date.
Build and sign-off
Work is carried out to the agreed programme, inspected by building control and signed off at the end.
Side return extension questions answered
Will my neighbours in Wigan be involved?
If a planning application or prior approval is needed, the council notifies neighbours. If the work is on or near a shared boundary, party wall notices may also be needed.
Do you cover all of Wigan?
Yes. We cover Wigan and the surrounding parts of Greater Manchester. Site visits are free and there is no obligation.
How long does a side return extension take to build in Wigan?
On site, typically 10 to 14 weeks once approvals are in place. Before that, allow 6–12 weeks design and approvals.
Do side return extensions need planning permission?
In England many single-storey side returns fit within permitted development if they stay within the height limits and are no wider than half the width of the original house. Conservation areas, listed buildings and flats need an application. Other UK nations have their own rules, which we check.
How much does a side return extension cost?
Our guide range is about £2,000 to £3,610 per m² including VAT, so a typical 2 m × 5.5 m infill lands around £25,000 to £31,500 at standard spec in Wigan, more in London.
Book a free site visit in Wigan
We will measure up, check the planning position and give you honest guide figures.
- Free, no-obligation site visit
- Planning route checked before you spend on drawings
- Written price once the design is agreed
- Building control sign-off at the end
Prefer to talk? Call 0800 088 6341 or .
Book a free site visit
Tell us a little about the project and we will arrange a time.