Sandbanks in Dorset has retained its crown as Britain’s costliest coastal location, according to Rightmove.

New data from the property portal reveals that property in Sandbanks command an average asking price of £1,282,565.

Canford Cliffs in Poole is second, with an average asking price of £974,635, and Milford-on-Sea in Hampshire is third (£728,460).

Across the top 50 most expensive coastal areas, average asking prices are down by 1%, while buyer demand is up by 8%

Top 10 most expensive seaside spots in Great Britain

1. Sandbanks, Poole – £1,282,565 (-3% YoY)
2. Canford Cliffs, Poole – £974,635 (-9% YoY)
3. Milford-on-Sea, Hampshire – £728,460 (+1% YoY)
4. Lymington, Hampshire – £639,316 (-2% YoY)
5. Budleigh Salterton, Devon – £535,761 (0% YoY)
6. St. Ives, Cornwall – £507,139 (-2% YoY)
7. Dartmouth, Devon – £500,006 (+4% YoY)
8. Sidmouth, Devon – £494,811 (-5% YoY)
9. Whitstable, Kent – £469,586 (-2% YoY)
10. Hythe, Kent – £466,898 (0% YoY)

By contrast, Saltcoats in Ayrshire, Scotland is the cheapest coastal area, with an average asking price of £122,208. Peterlee in County Durham is a close second (£122,246), and Ashington in Northumberland is third (£135,050).

Saltcoats is also the price growth hotspot, with average asking prices in the area up by 13% compared to last year.

Saltcoats offers a location by the sea, with an average asking price of over £250,000 below the national average (£378,240).

Top 10 most affordable seaside spots in Great Britain

1. Saltcoats, Ayrshire – £122,208 (+13% YoY)
2. Peterlee, County Durham – £122,246 (+6% YoY)
3. Ashington, Northumberland – £135,050 (+4% YoY)
4. Bootle, Merseyside – £135,208 (+3% YoY)
5. Grimsby, Lincolnshire – £142,072 (0% YoY)
6. Blackpool, Lancashire – £142,804 (0% YoY)
7. Fleetwood, Lancashire – £148,101 (+1% YoY)
8. Birkenhead, Merseyside – £149,527 (+2% YoY)
9. Blyth, Northumberland – £153,487 (+1% YoY)
10. Workington, Cumbria – £158,956 (0% YoY)

Rightmove’s Colleen Babcock said: “Sandbanks now stands out as the only seaside spot with an average asking price of over the million-pound mark.

“By contrast, lower-priced seaside spots like Saltcoats and Peterlee offer home-movers a sea view at a fraction of the price, with average asking prices over a quarter of a million pounds below the national average.”