Top 10 expensive seaside towns in the UK: Sandbanks, Dorset and Salcombe, Devon rank highest

Seaside towns in the south-west of England remain the most expensive to live in with the most bargains still expected to be found in the north, according to a new housing report by Halifax.

Sandbanks in Dorset is the dearest, with the average housing property price based around £665,000, followed by Salcombe in Devon at around £539.950. Other towns which featured in the top rankings included Padstow, Cornwall, (£443,396), and Aldeburgh, Suffolk, ( £439,379).

Port Bannatyne on the Isle of Bute, Argyll and Bute was the cheapest town around £77,132, Newbiggin by the Sea, Northumberland, (£81,259), and Girvan, South Ayrshire, (£91,912), came second and third.

Martin Ellis, housing economist at Halifax, said: "Seaside towns are highly popular places to live, offering sought-after scenery, weather and lifestyle which no doubt come at a price. They also attract those looking for holiday properties, which add upward pressure on house prices.'

"Over the 10-year period, coastal towns north of the border have been the strongest performing in terms of house price rises, but locations in the south-west remain the most expensive.

"So if you're looking for a bargain, it's still easier to find the further North you go, where average price in several areas is still below £100,000."