The millionaire's enclave of Sandbanks in Dorset has cemented its status as the most expensive coastal area in Britain - with average asking prices topping a jaw-dropping £1.28 million, new figures reveal. Once mocked as "Britain's Palm Beach", the tiny peninsula near Poole has become a playground for the rich and famous, boasting luxury beachfront mansions, pristine golden sands, and a jet-set lifestyle that comes with a serious price tag. Property site Rightmove named Sandbanks the only seaside location in Britain where the average home costs over £1 million, despite a small annual dip of 3%.

That's more than three times the national average house price of £378,240. It's a far cry from the rundown piers and soggy deckchairs of more traditional British seaside towns.

Barely half a mile wide, Sandbanks has just a few dozen streets - but is home to billionaires, bankers, and Premier League royalty. Former residents include ex-England manager Harry Redknapp, who famously owned several properties in the area, while other football names such as Tony Pulis and Graham Souness have also bought homes here.

TV chef Rick Stein opened a restaurant on the waterfront, while former Dragons' Den star Duncan Bannatyne once snapped up a luxury apartment nearby. Even with a sluggish property market, demand for these coastal gems remains sky-high.

Rightmove says interest in Britain's most expensive seaside towns has risen 8% over the past year, even as prices dip slightly. A few streets away from Sandbanks, Canford Cliffs - also in Poole - ranks second on the coastal rich list, with average asking prices of £974,635, down 9% year-on-year.

In third place is Milford-on-Sea in Hampshire at £728,460, showing a modest 1% rise.

Great Britain's most expensive seaside spots

Location Avg. Asking Price Change

Sandbanks, Poole £1,282,565 -3%

Canford Cliffs, Poole £974,635 -9%

Milford-on-Sea, Hampshire £728,460 +1%

Lymington, Hampshire £639,316 -2%

Budleigh Salterton, Devon £535,761 0%

St. Ives, Cornwall £507,139 -2%

Dartmouth, Devon £500,006 +4%

Sidmouth, Devon £494,811 -5%

Whitstable, Kent £469,586 -2%

Hythe, Kent £466,898 0%

At the other end of the scale lies Saltcoats in Ayrshire, Scotland - named the cheapest seaside town in Britain, with average asking prices of just £122,208. That's nearly £1.2 million less than Sandbanks.

But while prices may be modest, Saltcoats is enjoying a boom, with property values up 13 per cent in the past year - the biggest increase in the country. In fact, all ten of the most affordable seaside towns had average prices under £160,000 - less than half the national average - offering first-time buyers and retirees the lure of sea views without the Sandbanks price tag.

Great Britain's 10 most affordable seaside spots

Location Avg. Asking Price Change

Saltcoats, Ayrshire £122,208 +13%

Peterlee, County Durham £122,246 +6%

Ashington, Northumberland £135,050 +4%

Bootle, Merseyside £135,208 +3%

Grimsby, Lincolnshire £142,072 0%

Blackpool, Lancashire £142,804 0%

Fleetwood, Lancashire £148,101 +1%

Birkenhead, Merseyside £149,527 +2%

Blyth, Northumberland £153,487 +1%

Workington, Cumbria £158,956 0%

Colleen Babcock, property expert at Rightmove, 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."