Oh I do long to be beside the (British) seaside
IT’S not the South of France or the Amalfi Coast. But Britain’s seaside has plenty of charm of its own – and not just of the quaint and slightly run-down variety, but of a beautiful, unique and in some cases, highly exclusive type. For instance, Knight Frank recently sold a mansion in south Cornwall to a Greek family who had been previously been looking in the South of France.
Rich Greeks aside, what’s the verdict on the British seaside: a cold and pebbly (distant) second best to Europe’s coast or a clement haven with sandy beaches and impressive houses? A clever investment or a back-water punt?
The answer is both and neither. Britain’s habitable coast spans a great many regions, from Wales and Scotland to Devon and Kent and each area offers a variety of styles. Christopher Bailey, head of Waterfront at Knight Frank, says: “The British seaside has definitely got an image of being pebbly and shingly – and not particularly exciting, when you compare it to the South of France. But the reality is that there are definitely areas of the coast, all the way round, where you have sunny and sheltered beaches and where the water is quite warm.”
There are two main types of seaside property in the UK: that located on or by an estuary – this means sheltered waters, no strong tides and lovely huge sandy beaches. The other is the blustery, rocky promontory type: romantic as such spots may be, their exposed beaches weather strong tides, and the result is pebbly beaches, winds and chilly water.
Because of this, the most popular areas are near estuaries – Devon, Dorset and Cornwall, for example, offer the Chelsea or Belgravia equivalent of coastal property. Sandbanks, which is near the estuary of Poole Harbour, has attracted the wealthiest of British buyers for over 100 years.
Your bargain basements are not to be found in estuary hotspots – but Bailey says that’s rather the point. “If you’re looking for value for money or an investment, it’s location, location, location. Max out on a top location – they’re going to hold their value more. For instance, for me, a one-bed in Belgravia would be a better buy than a four-bed in South London.” Safe spots include Rock and Padstow in Cornwall, Devon’s Salcombe and the beautiful big sandy beaches of Puttsborough Beach and Braunton Sands, while Sandbanks will always attract money.
Not everyone is so conservative – or rich. Bailey admits that there are undervalued bits of coast that are beautiful and worthwhile – Trearddur Bay in noth Wales offers “amazing value for money” – as does some of the Kentish coast, such as Ramsgate and Sandwich Bay, which have the advantage of being near London.
Transport links with the capital are the make-or-break of solid seaside investments. The airport in Newquay, speedy trains to Exeter (though not so speedy beyond) and good motorways to London open up the classic southerly area. Tenby in Pembrokeshire, however beautiful, is “very far west”, and requires driving along a complex network of A-roads.
Bailey’s top tip? “You might want to watch Torquay. There are palm trees there, but a dearth of high value properties. They’re talking about bringing in a link road to make the traffic better, though, so you could see it become a hotspot in the next few years.” Equallly, an airport in south-west Wales could cause values to shoot up. Keep your ears out.
In the end, the likes of Sandwich and Tenby are good if you want to take a punt “like buying in Clapham 15 years ago,” says Bailey. Only with ocean breezes.
Penmore, St Ives
Price: £1.35m
Just 400 yards Porthminster Beach, this stunning house holds a spectacular position overlooking St Ives Bay and Godrevy Lighthouse. It has four-five bedrooms, three reception rooms, pantry, terraced gardents, private gated driveway and garage, and is only a short walk to the beaches.
Contact: Savills Cornwall, tel: 01872 243 200.
www.savills.com
Marine Drive West, West Wittering, Chichester
Price: £1.2m
A five-bedroom beachside house with three receptions and a real sense of space, Marine Drive West has been built to a unique design and layout situated in a sought after private road with breathtaking southerly sea views.
Contact: Chesterton Humberts Chichester, 01243 531010, www.chestertonhumberts.com
Littledene House, Bonchurch, Isle Of Wight
Price: £875,000
Located in a quiet seaside village, this house, dating from 1896, combines an array of attractive period features with some particularly well proportioned principal rooms, all of which face south over the well planted, mature gardens. Dickens, Swinburne and Shaw all lived in Bonchurch, drawn by its sea views and elegant houses.
Contact: Knight Frank Hampshire, 01962 850333, www.knightfrank.com
Flag House, Banks Road, Sandbanks, Poole, Dorset
Price: £5m
An elegant period property built in the 1930s, with one of the best locations in the world-famous Sandbanks. Period features are to be found in the property’s five bedrooms, kitchen, breakfast room, beach chalet and balcony and three bathrooms. Direct beach access. Contact: Aylesford Intl, 020 7351 2383, www.aylesford.com