Seaside splendour: see inside the UK's most expensive beach huts holiday homes, which sell for up to £275k
The humble beach hut is enjoying a renaissance.
Once used primarily as storage during family day trips to the seaside, these often tiny seaside shelters are increasingly being kitted out as luxurious holiday homes with double-beds, fully-fitted kitchens and sun terraces.
Earlier this year, a 212 sq ft beach hut on Dorset’s sought-after Mudeford Sandspit sold for £275,000 — over £50,000 more than the average UK house price — despite it having no private toilet or shower.
Denisons estate agents, who marketed the beach hut, have sold approximately 12 in the past year and are currently marketing another on the same stretch of coast.
Priced at £269,950, Hut 78 fronts the harbour looking towards Christchurch with a westerly aspect for sunset-watching.
The newly-modernised hut sleeps four downstairs and on a mezzanine level accessed via wooden stairs inside the hut. It has a solar-powered fridge and lighting with bottle gas for cooking, with timber double-glazed windows and timber and glass bi-fold doors opening out onto a sandy beach and entertaining area.
Rules and restrictions
- The Mudeford Sand Spit beach huts can be used 365 days a year
- Between November 1 and February 28 (February 29 on a leap year) the huts cannot be used between 11pm and 5am
- Reduced council tax is paid on the huts, usually around £500 per year.
- There is also a ground rent/licence fee which depends on the size of the hut but can reach £4,000.
- Beach huts can only be bought by cash buyers because they do not count as habitable dwellings.
- Beach huts are exempt from stamp duty but owners must pay a £15,000 transfer fee when they sell.
The communal toilets and shower facilities are “within easy striking distance”, as is The Beach House restaurant and shop.
Overnight stays are allowed at Mudeford during spring and summer — which is unusual for a beach hut — with owners able to rent huts out for more than £1,000 a week during peak holiday season.
It is a short stroll from the Mudeford ferry landing stage, with the ferry running seasonally, while the harbour offers space to moor a small RIB. There are bountiful beachside, cliff top and harbour-side pathways for walking along Hengistbury Head and a land train runs regularly.
WHY BUY A £275K BEACH HUT?
Charlie Dancer, property negotiator at Denisons, said: “Having accommodation at the beach and harbour is a huge draw for buyers wanting a seaside escape. Mudeford Sand Spit is a truly unique spot benefiting from sea views and incredible harbour sunsets over the historic town of Christchurch.
“Watching the sunrise during breakfast or sunset with a glass of wine in the evening is breathtaking — the huts give people the opportunity to do so in an idyllic setting.”
RENTING A LUXURY BEACH HUT
For sea lovers wanting the over night beach hut experience without splashing out on their own, two top-of-the-range, environmentally-friendly beach huts have just been built on the idyllic Lepe Beach in Hampshire, their eye-watering high season weekly rental cost of £1,450 taking demand for their stunning Isle of Wight views into account.
These coastal retreats, named Gullwing and Little Tern after birds found on the beach, are twice the size of traditional beach huts with 538sq ft of floor space. Run by the Cadland Estate, they can sleep up to eight people each thanks to mezzanine level bedrooms and L-shaped sofas that pull out into beds. The master bed has a direct view out to sea through a top window.
Unlike many huts that share a communal hygiene block, these come with a spacious private shower and eco toilet. The mod cons, including a full-size fridge, are powered by solar panels and there is a gas oven, hob and 4G wifi access.
Open-plan design maximises space with plenty of room for dining and relaxing and the muted colour scheme blends into the natural surroundings. The bespoke furniture is made from birch ply and there is a charming log-burner in the living room, while bi-folding glass doors lead onto outdoor decking and allow the scenery to be enjoyed from inside on a rainy day. Call 023 8017 0552 for more details.
Hagen Rose, founder of online community Beach-Huts.Com, believes beach huts are so popular because they are “part of our culture and often part of the family history”
“Beach huts capture the imagination in many ways and outdoor life is booming, from camping and foraging to kayaking and outdoor swimming” he said. “They offer a great way of coping with the challenges of the British weather — a shelter from the wind and rain to enjoy hot soup and bacon sandwiches!”